Contents Contents

News Mussel Power 4 Subsea Report 5 UT2 March 2009

The magazine of the Seismic Society for Underwater Technology Seismic Coil Shooting 6-8 Towed Streamer Technology 8-9 Oceans Projects Seafl oor Laboratory 10, Life on MARS 12

Oceans News Hydroid for Geomar 14, Ice Profi lers 14 Tsunami Detection Remote Vehicles Offshore 15, Google Earth 15, Seabed Visualisation 16, Depth Measurement 16, Pressure Sensor 16, Swedish Tracking 17, Waterside security 18, Contour Generator 18, Seabed Cover: Using mussels as a pollution biosensor Scanning 18, Training Courses 19, Software Enhancement Photo by Vidar Skålevik 20, Deepwater Acoustic release 21, Seabed Classifi cation Cables and Software 22, Glass Ceiling 22, Current Profi ler 22 Umbilicals Usan and Skarv 24, Airgun Umbilicals 24, Jade 24 Digital Digital Controlled Manipulator, Digital Pan and Tilt 26, Revolution March 2009 ROVs & Off shore Vol 4 No 1 ROVs Aircraft Crash 28, Icy Ise Hysub 28, Buoyant Market 30, Going East 30, Rock Trencher 30, ISS ROV Control System 2 31, Tracking Jason 31, Wet Mate Connector 31 UT

Subsea Perdido 32, Tupi 33, Yttergryta 28, Frigg 34 Asgard 34 Society for Underwater Projects ABS Rules 35, Cascacde Chinook 35, Roncador 36, Girassol Technology 36, Gudrun 36 Machar 37, Tahiti 37 80 Coleman St, Underwater The Lost Arc 40, Friction Stitch Welding 40, Cold Tee 41, London EC25 5BJ Welding and Deeper Welding 42, Future 43, Chamber of Secrets 43, Pipelines EHPIP 44 +44 (1) 480 370007 Births, Marriages and Separations 47 Editor: John Howes [email protected] SUT London SUT AGM 48, Aberdeen SUT AGM 49, Award of Merit 49, Carbon Capture and Storage 50, SUT YP 50 Sub Editor: Mariam Pourshoushtari [email protected]

Advertising: Joe Sinfi eld Published by UT2 Publishing Ltd for and on behalf of the Society for Underwater Technology. Reproduction of UT2 in whole or in part, without permission, is prohibited. The publisher and the SUT assumes no responsibility Production: Sue Denham for unsolicited material, nor responsibility for content of any advertisement, particularly infringement of copyrights, trademarks, intellectual property rights Design and Layout and patents, nor liability for misrepresentations, false or misleading statements Torpedo Design and illustrations. These are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. Opinions of the writers are not necessarily those of the SUT or the publishers. ISSN: 1752-0592

UT2 MARCH 2009 3 modem and cable communication system.

Data from the mussel biosensors, along M with conventional sensors, is relayed to the Biota Guard Expert Centre for moni- toring and analysis. The sea trials com- menced in a fjord outside Stavanger a year ago to validate the basic biosensor U technology. They were spectacularly successful: when the ferry from Den- mark approached, the mussels reacted by momentarily closing. S This was followed up by an offshore test on Ekofi sk to check the radio satellite transmission system and the integration of the various components. S Data signals are sent onshore for analysis by use of algorithms and graphical representations. Measure- ment data is transferred to the Biota Guard Integrated Operation Center E (BGIC) for analysis. Over the past 40 or so years, in varying degrees when exposed to technologists have developed harmful substances (or if it endures The user of the system can monitor the increasingly sophisticated sys- physical stress due to predators environmental status throughout the tems to monitor water pollution. etc). The heart rhythm also changes day. Client may be provided by sepa- Over the past 400 million years, depending on rate data link (for online reporting and L trouble shooting). It is also possible to however, animals have evolved infl uences from the environment considerably far more acute in which the clam lives. Sensors go back in time should it be necessary sensory organs. Stavanger- are therefore attached to shell. to document the effects of known toxic based Biota Guard has looked This enables the measurement of discharges. to use the reaction of molluscs the closing mechanism and heart to certain chemicals, to develop rhythm of a mussel. The next stage of work will be carried one of the most sensitive pollu- out at Mongstad. These systems will be tion detection methods. The plan envisages a number of installed in the Fensfjorden for a period small colonies of mussels strategi- of four months. It will also used to After years of long-term testing, cally placed around an oil rig. The develop and implement software tools. P the fi rst commercial delivery of mussels are continually monitored It will look at the discharge of process such a system will be available to provide a picture of the state of and cooling water. later this year. While it is imme- life in the sea. diately applicable to the oil and Another project is to develop, test and gas markets, it is equally useful Any polyaromatic hydrocarbons demonstrate an environmental effect O to the maritime industry and for (PAH) in the production water, which monitoring system that makes it suit- the monitoring of coastal areas. are known to be damaging to life in able for the Arctic region. This will look the sea, would be detected by the at environmental monitoring of surface The biosensor in question is the system in real time. Uninstrumented and subsea installations in Arctic blue mussel (Mytilus edulis). (passive) mussels are also collected environments at water depths down W The mussel was selected be- as necessary, and taken to a labora- to 500m with reference to the Barents cause research into this particu- tory for more detailed analysis of the Sea. lar mollusc is well advanced. health condition. Above: The sensor cage unit Left: The This bivalve fi lters 60 litres of Mussel with a sensor attached water a day, making it particu- The cages of mussels are either Below: Mussels in the cage E larly good for measuring water lowered over the side along the legs All photos Vidar Skålevik pollution levels. to measure any produced water, or on the seabed. They can also be The mussel, held in place under a buoy, which however, can radio the information to shore R closes up via a satellite system. The mussels lie in a central sensor cage unit (SCU) .

Below this cage is a control system and battery cannister. Above, are an array of physical and chemical sensors. At the top of the assembly is the acoustic

4 UT2 MARCH 2009 Subsea Report Over the period from 2009 to 2013, Over the past fi ve years, we have wit- caused operators to prioritise the most the total global subsea sector expend- nessed the rapid expansion of subsea profi table projects. iture for subsea equipment and drilling trees installed, and the majority of this and completion will exceed US$80bn. activity is linked to the growth of the Now with limited access to fi nancing This fi gure is up from US$46bn on the deepwater oil and gas industry. and a lower price outlook, there are previous fi ve years. questions regarding the viability of The global industry continues to face a future projects. It is smaller single well As many as 3222 trees are expected combination of declining shallow water tie-backs that can have sanction rates to be started up within the next fi ve production, falling reserves in place and up to $65/bbl, whereas larger fl oating years, the biggest players being poor shallow water prospectivity. projects can be sanctioned at as little Petrobras (374), Shell (244), Total as $23/bbl. We feel that the smaller (237), Chevron (236), BP (229), Exx- Deep water offers a new exploration projects in Europe and in South East onMobil (215) and StatoilHydro (194). and production frontier and has seen Asia are most at risk and could see projects which have been developed potential delays and cancellations. So says the Subsea Market Update through stable oil prices. Here, stable Report 2009/13 from Infi eld Energy refers to prices remain- Analysts. ing consistently above Subsea spending forecast US$30/bbl. This edition differs from the previous editions in that the report focuses on The next couple of subsea wells subsea fi eld architec- years are expected to ture. Associated pipelines and control see a plateau of activ- lines are not included. ity levels as constraints within the market are The volume of subsea trees installed realised. This has been is viewed as a barometer for the expected even before health of the offshore industry. It is a the banking crisis and particularly important indicator for the oil price decline, as subsea umbilical riser and fl owline capacity constraints (SURF) construction and installation within the supply chain markets. and rapid infl ation has

UT2 MARCH 2009 5 A literally revolutionary data acquisition system called coil shooting has been developed by WesternGeco. Coil shooting is designed to illuminate specifi c target areas associated with complex structures such as salt diapirs,

Seismic reefs and subsalt or salt overhang environments. It is characterised by enabling acquisition of considerably more azimuthal data than even the most advanced seismic acquisition systems. The technique has been tested recently in both the Gulf Coil of Mexico and the Black Sea, at locations over which conventional seismic had been acquired to enable a good comparison.

This is the latest of a number of acquisition techniques to image complex structures. The main driver for this has been the discovery of reservoir quality structures underneath carbonates, basalts or salts, or complex structures in general that are notoriously diffi cult to image with traditional techniques.

Over the past decade, the offshore industry has pushed exploration boundaries into deep and ultradeep waters. When operators fi rst started drilling some of the plays, however, they were largely met with disappointment. Between 2002 and 2006, 170 wells drilled resulted in only 25 discoveries. It was clear that better imaging of the subsurface was needed to improve this hit rate of only 6.8%.

A number of acquisition and processing innovations followed. Two of these were wide-azimuth (WAZ) and multi-azimuth (MAZ) acquisitions augmented by processing and imaging techniques. Processing techniques enable the preservation of an enhanced azimuth range brought about by new acquisition. For example, 3D generalised surface multiple prediction (3D GSMP), a new technology and proprietary to WesternGeco, reduces noise from multiples (seismic energy that has bounced between more than one refl ecting surface). A typical seismic vessel carrying out a high resolution 3D survey may have streamers covering a surface footprint Processing and imaging techniques also consume 8km long and 900m wide. The idea behind WAZ acquisition a greater part of the measurements recorded; for is to have a combination of source boats and receiver example, reverse time migration and full waveform boats stretched out side by side or in a prearranged inversion (two-way wavefi eld extrapolations) allow formation. imaging and velocity model building using other energies beyond primary refl ections. The desired shot-density is not only a function of the

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6 UT2 MARCH 2009 Seismic

information, it does require a number of vessels and azimuth and offset sampling. Although results are typically better than those from 3D surveys, it remains far from complete. An alternative approach, requiring only a single vessel, is the MAZ technique.This technique crosses the zone of interest a number of times from a range of different angles, to produce a higher Shooting fi delity image. Again, offset and azimuth sampling is improved, but further developments are needed.

This lack of complete offset and azimuth sampling in WAZ and MAZ can lead to reduced target illumination and restricted options in certain critical data processing steps, ultimately translating to structural uncertainty.

Another useful technique is to combine the directionality of the MAZ technique with the basic geometry of the WAZ technique. The result is known as rich-azimuth (RAZ). This technique addresses much of the remaining sampling shortcomings of the WAZ and MAZ techniques. It can be expensive, but with wells costing as much as US$100 million to drill, any investment in high quality data is potentially very cost-effective.

All these techniques have one thing in common – the opportunity to get as much azimuthal information as possible on a single area.

At the end of a seismic line, the vessel must turn around and begin another on a parallel course.

hydrophone interval, streamer length and streamer spacing, but also of these multiple source and receiver boats. The result of this increased information is improved illumination of the subsurface when compared to a standard single boat 3D survey.

While WAZ generates a large database of

Left: Diagram showing various types of seismic shooting and, more specifi cally, the area covered in the survey. Normal azimuth (1) shoots a trace in a single direction. Multi azimuth (2) increases the cover in a number of directions, while wide azi- muth (3) uses a number of vessels. Rich azimuth (4) is a combination of multi and wide azimuth pro- viding a wide coverage. Coil Shooting (5) covers a wide area, but only uses a single vessel.

Right: Q-Technology has enabled seismic to be recorded while the vessel is turning. This is the basis of the Coil Shooting technique.

UT2 MARCH 2009 7 Seismic

The half-Dahlia pattern used on a coil shooting run on the Black Sea

2 Towed With an array of up to 7.2 km of streamer behind the vessel, it can be very diffi cult and time-consuming to turn this 180deg in a very wide arc and come back for a parallel run, especially if there is the complication of additional source or receiver boats in a WAZ or RAZ confi guration. The streamers can often converge as they make the turn, Streamer sometimes becoming entangled with each other. The time taken to make the turn is effectively non-productive ‘dead time’. It can be a considerable percentage of the total time required to acquire the seismic survey. Technology It was largely work undertaken to unlock the problem of streamer collision that has enabled the next generation of data acquisition. WesternGeco has developed a steerable PGS has recently completed a MultiClient 2D survey in the streamer system consisting of motorised fi ns that can move Southern North Sea. This was carried out using the latest in unison on command from a control computer. This system GeoStreamer technology in the middle of a typical North Sea is integrated with an industry-leading positioning system winter. allowing accurate positions to be derived at all times, and for the seismic sensors and steering instructions based Traditional towed seismic streamers are subjected to mechani- on these positions to be sent to the in-sea equipment. cal vibrations and noise sources as they travel through the water, Furthermore, the fi ns can be turned simultaneously, either generally a few metres below the sea surface. From the marine moving all the steamers in the same direction, or forming a streamer’s inception, the streamer has consisted of a long, plastic much tighter turning circle than would otherwise be possible cylindrical outer skin fi lled with seismic pressure sensors, power with a conventional system. and telemetry wires, spacers and strength members, and a fi ller of oil to make the entire assembly neutrally buoyant. Knowing where the streamers are means that it is possible to obtain high quality surveys while still turning. Oil was used to fi ll the voids inside the streamer skin because it The natural progression is to sail the survey vessel in is an electrical insulator and its density is lower than that of sea overlapping circles in which the boat can produce images water. However, the fi ller oil caused two problems. The fi rst was of unprecedented quality. This is the basis of coil shooting. that upon external damage to the outer skin, the oil escaped and The coil geometry generates exceptional offset and seawater invaded and replaced the oil. This caused increased azimuth sampling and yet requires only one vessel. Due to weight and improper balancing of parts of the streamer, which the virtual elimination of the aforementioned ‘dead time’ it is again resulted in increased tow noise levels. The seawater also highly effi cient; vessels typically acquire more than double caused electrical shorting of streamer power, which very often the shots per day in this geometry compared to any other. pulled the entire streamer down. It also caused the signals from the seismic sensors to be attenuated or short out. WesternGeco carried out a simulated 900km2 survey in which a four-vessel WAZ spread acquired 160 000 shots The second problem was related to sea-surface waves. The in a programme lasting 62 full-production days. A coil vibrations or motions caused bulge waves to travel up and down shooting survey over the same area would acquire 321 706 the length of the streamer sections, generating a high-amplitude, shots in 61 production days. Subsequently, the technique low-frequency noise that was sensed by the streamer’s pressure was deployed to look at the complex geology of the Black sensors. The resulting (low frequency) noise signals were much Sea in which the vessel sailed in a fl ower-shaped pattern stronger than the very weak, desired seismic refl ection signals. comprising nine circular coils. In three days, an area 2km by 5km was imaged. When the weather over a geophysical survey area worsened, increasing sea wave heights caused bulge wave amplitudes The fi rst commercial use of coil shooting was when the to increase, and data acquisition had to be suspended until Geco Topaz acquired a survey in Indonesia. It used eight the weather improved. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, streamers that were 6km long. The survey was completed development of solid towed streamers was performed outside in 49 days, as opposed to an estimated 75 days for a the geophysical industry for the military application of submarine 4-azimuth survey. The data is currently being processed detection. While these were smaller in diameter and shorter, some by WesternGeco in Jakarta, and results are eagerly operators embraced this new streamer construction method. anticipated. However, these streamers were stiffer than their oil-fi lled counter-

8 UT2 MARCH 2009 Seismic

Because the frequency of the notch moves to higher val- ues as the streamer tow depth is decreased, a trade-off is encountered because of increased attenuation of the seis- mic data’s low frequencies and higher recorded surface wave noise due to the closer proximity of the streamer’s sensors to the sea surface. As a result, conventional tow- ing depths have been historically limited to around 5–9m.

It has long been appreciated by geophysicists that if the particle velocity manifestation of sound waves were recorded along with the pressure manifestation, the two signals could be combined to cancel out each ghost refl ection wavelet, whilst simultaneously preserving each desired refl ection wavelet. The notches in the frequency spectrum would be eliminated.

Many attempts have been made to incorporate vertical particle velocity detectors into the towed streamer. The historical barrier has been the vibration tow noise that propagates down the length of the streamer. This vibra- tion noise is different from the bulge wave noise and has caused the failure of all attempts to add vertical particle velocity detectors.

PGS has, however, made a breakthrough in the last couple of years with dual-sensor towed streamer tech- nology, and currently the fi rst and only company to possess the capability of fi elding a viable dual-sensor parts, and this made their retrieval and storage on reels aboard marine towed streamer: the GeoStreamer. It signifi cantly the towing vessel more diffi cult. It also increased the likelihood improves low and high frequency content, higher signal- of damaging the streamer’s internal components as they were to-noise ratio across all frequencies, and better vertical wound onto the reels. Furthermore, these streamers also tended resolution. As the PGS GeoStreamer is not similarly to more effi ciently propagate other modes of tow-noise vibrations restricted in tow depth, it can take advantage of the fact along their length, compromising the seismic data’s that the noise effects of weather-induced surface waves signal-to-noise ratio. decrease signifi cantly when the tow depth is increased to about 15 m or more. The typical GeoStreamer towing PGS worked to achieve the operational advantages of solid depth is now about 15–25 m. streamer without its original stiffness and its own unique self-noise problems. The solution was the replacement of the This increased ‘insulation’ from the effects of bad streamer’s oil fi ller with a buoyancy void fi ller (BVF) material that weather increases PGS’s operational weather window and is introduced to the streamer as a fl uid, but which is transformed enhances its data acquisition productivity. into a solid gel material during a curing process. The resulting solid streamer retains the desirable low vibration noise and fl ex- Last November, PGS carried out its fi rst 3D seismic ibility of the oil-fi lled streamer, but completely withstands serious Geostreamer survey in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) in damage to the streamer skin. the area of DeSoto Canyon located offshore Alabama and Florida. This programmed covered approximately Historically, towed marine streamers have used only sensors 250 deepwater OCS blocks (5828km²) in relatively sensitive to the pressure of sound waves. When a seismic refl ec- underexplored area recently opened for leasing in the tion wavelet arrives from below the streamer, the resulting change Central and Eastern GoM planning areas. in hydrostatic pressure is sensed and a corresponding voltage signal is produced. The wavelet continues to propagate up to the In trials in Australia, GeoStreamer showed a four to fi vefold sea surface, where it is almost totally refl ected back downward, boost in the low frequency signal and a twofold boost in the but with opposite polarity. This ‘ghost’ refl ection wavelet is again high frequency signal and higher signal-to-noise content sensed, and its corresponding voltage signal is also produced. for all frequencies and all depths. This corresponded to Every recorded refl ection wavelet comprising the seismic data is a 55–65% boost in frequency range of signal through accompanied by its ghost refl ection wavelet on the receiver side. the main target interval. Most recently, the Mid-North sea A comparable phenomenon also affects the source wavelet as it is GeoStreamer 2009 (MNSG2009) survey closed a gap in the propagated from the source array. company’s MegaSurvey coverage, linking the central North Sea and Southern North Sea MegaSurveys and straddling This ghosting phenomenon produces notches and peaks in the the UK/Netherlands offshore boundary. The UK mid North recorded data’s frequency spectrum. The pressure ghosting fi lter Sea High still remains something of an underexplored displayed in that fi gure attenuates both the low-frequency and frontier area, where the Paleozoic geology and its high-frequency portions of the recorded data’s spectrum. hydrocarbon petroleum potential are not yet fully understood.

UT2 MARCH 2009 9 OCEANOGRAPHIC Research

OTTB The OTTB facility will consists of a 2.5km2 operating arena spanning the entire water column and a central The Ocean Technology Lab (OTL) as part of a venture to better hub which can provide power and a at the University of Victoria (UVic) understand the subsea environment communication interface to instruments has begun construction of the Ocean by placing biological, oceanographic that are being tested. The operating Technology Test Bed (OTTB) seafl oor and geological instrumentation area and central hub are made up of a engineering laboratory. Used to serve on strategically-placed nodes on number of major sub components: academia, government and industry, the ocean fl oor. These nodes are this test range will provide an easily networked together, allowing the • Service buoy accessible underwater laboratory in data to be brought ashore and giving This buoy is a toroidal work platform, which to develop and demonstrate researchers access to the information anchored to the seafl oor by a three-point a wide spectrum of instruments in real time 24 hours a day (UT2 mooring. Its 8m diameter makes it large and sensors for installation on fi xed March 2008 p32). enough to allow technicians to walk on it subsea installations and other marine when servicing the recoverable platform. applications. As the initiative evolves over the It also supports a crane for loading and next decade, this technological offl oading equipment, as well as a winch. Groups will also be able to test scaffold could potentially stimulate sensors, vehicles, protocols the development of a whole • Recoverable platform and personnel for other subsea new generation of autonomous The recoverable platform – the subsea disciplines such as the port security instrumentation and acoustic component of the central hub – rests and oilfi eld sectors. It could be also networks. These, in turn, can further on the seafl oor in 80m of water directly used for work on remotely operated extend the reach and effi cacy of the beneath the service buoy from where it vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous platform. can be winched to the surface. underwater vehicles (AUVs). Prototyping these new scientifi c The subsea platform is mainly a support The test bed was fi rst conceived instruments, and developing systems structure for equipment, sensors, in the wake of the successful and for both this subsea observatory and experimental equipment such as ambitious subsea cabled observatory and other projects around the world, cameras, chemical sensors, acoustic Victoria Experimental Network requires the availability of a separate sensors, and underwater vehicles. Under the Sea (VENUS), located in purpose-designed, but multi-functional Saanich Inlet on Vancouver Island. subsea engineering research facility The VENUS project was developed like the OTTB. • Power Up to 1.5kW of power is available to the OTTB infrastructure from the VENUS Birth of VENUS node via a subsea cable. The OTTB also has its own battery bank that is used providing power and communications The VENUS cabled ocean to buffer the power from the node and to scientifi c instrument packages. observatory system is the world’s fi rst for supplying power to instruments that Instruments are connected to the node multi-node interactive cabled seafl oor require more than 1.5kW (such as the using series of wet-mate connectors. observatory. It is linked by 43km of tethered ROV) for limited durations. The Once an instrument is attached, data fi bre-optic cable and is providing OTTB’s power and control module has is immediately available to researchers continuous biological data from two eight ports which can supply instruments 24 hours a day through locations off the southern British with conditioned power at any voltage. Columbia coast: Saanich Inlet and the Internet at www.venus.uvic.ca the Strait of Georgia. The Saanich • Communications Inlet location has been operational The cable connecting the OTTB since February 2006 and is home of to the VENUS node contains the OTTB. four single-mode optical fi bres, providing a The fi rst 3km of electro-optic cable, laid in February 2006, runs from the shore station out to the Saanich Inlet node in the middle of Patricia Bay,

The Venus node. Photo courtesy of VENUS/UVic

10 UT2 MARCH 2009 HD underwater video camera RESEARCH OTTB Research High Defi nition Video The high defi nition video project is a collaborative effort between the OTL, NEPTUNE Canada and high bandwidth connection to the Internet. This allows VENUS. This purpose of this project is to install a researchers to monitor their experiment or product from broadcast quality high defi nition video camera on an anywhere in the world. observatory site.

Instruments that use communication protocols other The camera will be connected to the CA*net4 network than the Ethernet are provided with a communication –- Canada’s national optical Internet research and converter; so there is a high degree of compatibility with education network – through the OTTB, allowing users instrument manufacturers. to control the camera and video transmission via web services from across North America. • Integrated acoustic system (IAS) An IAS, which will be built in the next phase of the OTTB The user interface will let the user control the camera, project, will enable precision three-dimensional tracking lights and pan tilt mount, as well as all other monitoring that will enable vehicle developers to quantify the devices. The camera itself has a 44x optical zoom. This performance of vehicle hardware as well as guidance, will give scientists the opportunity to zoom into a one navigation and control software. It will also form a square inch area on the sea fl oor and watch minute developmental platform for acoustic system research in organisms in full HD, allowing them to look at things its own right. never before seen.

The tracking is accomplished acoustically using a pinger Bottom-mounted ROV on the vehicle and the system’s fi ve receiving towers, each of which have an acoustic transceiver. The tracking The goal of the bottom-mounted ROV programme being data is logged on computers at the OTTB shore station undertaken by the OTL, is to enable an ROV to reside and can be viewed in real time through the user interface. on a fi xed subsea platform for extended deployments. An integrated acoustic modem provides additional capacity for communicating with off-the-shelf untethered For observatories this means that a vehicle will be vehicles and instruments that use commercial acoustic on-site to respond to events of interest around the communication equipment. observatory; for oil platforms this means that an ROV can remain on-site to inspect or repair the rig at a The array of acoustic transponders was designed to moment’s notice minimising down time. transmit and receive arbitrary acoustic signals. This makes the array suitable for both passive and active The ROV’s tether will be connected to the OTTB, which use in scientifi c experiments and as a test resource for will supply power to the vehicle. The vehicle control developing new acoustic monitoring technologies. will occur via Ethernet, which means that the pilot can control the vehicle from any location with an Internet • Shore station connection. A rack mounted server and communication systems at the Institute for Ocean Science in Sidney, BC, provides The OTL has selected the Saab Sea-eye Falcon an interface between the subsea part of the OTTB to begin this research, as the Falcon’s control system and the external world. Surface vessels operating architecture makes it particularly well suited for this new in the OTTB arena are also connected to the Internet and confi guration. subsea network through a long range wireless system, giving clients access to OTTB data and video feeds.

• User interface Clients of the OTTB can access their instruments through a secure virtual private network (VPN). Through this connection the OTTB is completely transparent, and the users’ devices will appear as if they are locally connected to their computer.

Users that are operating vehicles in the OTTB arena will have access to software which depicts a 3D virtual rendition of the arena and all the objects in it. This environment will show the output of the IAS tracking system, so users will be able to see all the objects being tracked and their positions relative to fi xed objects in the OTTB space. Bottom-mounted ROV

UT2 MARCH 2009 11 OCEANOGRAPHIC Research Life o

send commands back, to reprogramme or reset their instruments.

From this hub a number of experiments located up to 4km away can be hooked up using underwater ‘extension cables’. The node has eight ports with Nautilus wet-mateable connectors from Teledyne ODI used for the interface. MBARI techni- cians will use ROVs to connect these instruments into the central hub, where- The MARS observatory In mid-November of last year, the fi rst upon researchers will be able to run ex- David Fierstein (c) 2005 MBARI deep-sea cabled observatory in the con- periments and study deep-sea data and tinental United States went live, when images from anywhere in the world. Experiments scientifi c data from 900m (3000ft) below the surface began to be received as part The conventional way of taking long-term With the installation of the undersea of the Monterey Accelerated Research subsea measurements relies on battery- cable and science node, a number System (MARS) venture. This was the powered instruments. proposed science experiments have culmination of six years of development been connected to the MARS observa- and $13.5 million in investment. The The availability of power often governs tory. These include: work was coordinated by the Monterey the type and frequency of measurements Eye in the Sea Bay Aquarium Research Institute able to be taken. When the batteries This low-light camera looks for crea- (MBARI). The observatory will allow fi nally wear out, the researchers often tures exhibiting bioluminescence – a marine scientists to continuously monitor only realise weeks or months when they feature shared by 90% of deep-sea life. the deep sea, instead of relying on brief recover the device at the end of the oceanographic cruises and instruments experiment. Many other things can bring FOCE that run on batteries. an early end to deep-sea experiments, This experiment studies the effects of including mooring problems, leaks, increased carbon dioxide concentra- The observatory is based on a pair of software or hardware glitches, etc. The tions in seawater on marine animals. titanium pressure cylinders suspended MARS observatory can’t prevent these, Seawater is becoming increasingly beneath a block of buoyant foam housed but it will let researchers know that acidic as human-generated carbon within a trawl-resistant frame. This trun- there’s a problem as soon as it happens, dioxide dissolves from the atmosphere cated steel pyramid measures 3.7m by instead of months later. 4.6m (12ft by15ft) wide at the base and Benthic Rover 1.2m (4ft) tall. Its smooth corners and The advantage of the cabled observa- This small, unmanned vehicle crawls sloping sides are designed to prevent tory is that up to 10 000W of power is across the seafl oor studying sediment fi shing gear from snagging. Doors on available from shore, allowing scientists and the animals that live within it to fi nd each side of the frame can be opened, to see their experimental results every how seafl oor life survives with no plants allowing remotely operated vehicles day, change their sampling routines at around and a limited food supply. (ROVs) to plug or unplug experiments. will and keep their instruments running indefi nitely. A maximum of 2kW at 48VDC Seafl oor Seismometer The cylinders contain the computer is available to all ports. Scientists will get reports on tremors in networking and power distribution real time by using this device. equipment. Inside one cylinder housing The trawl-resistant frame was installed Deep Sea Environmental Sample Processor is electronic equipment for routing data on the seafl oor during the cable-laying and controlling power to the instruments. This robotic biology laboratory can fi lter process. Later, the science node, with its Inside the other is the equivalent of an microbes from surface water and iden- yellow fl oatation pack, was lowered into electrical substation to convert the high tify them on its own. To study deep-sea the frame by ROV Ventana, a remote- voltage in the cable to lower voltages life, this new system must be able to controlled submarine. Each time a new used by science instruments. do the same thing under 90 times the experiment is added to the observatory, pressure. the ROV uses its robotic arm to plug an This central hub is connected to shore underwater ‘extension cord’. ALOHA Mooring by a 52km cable mostly buried a metre Upwelling currents stir up nutrients and below the seafl oor. This can carry 2Gb After being plugged in, each experiment feed marine life. The ALOHA mooring per second of data. Each science exper- will use a science instrument interface will help understand those currents by iment can send up to 100Mb per second module to convert power and data from constantly measuring water conditions of data back to scientists’ computers the science node into so that they can be from surface waters to ocean fl oor. on shore. Scientists, in turn are able to used by the experiment.

12 UT2 MARCH 2009 RESEARCH n Mars Eye in the Sea Light can penetrate water down to around 200m (660ft). More than 90% The control room. Right: The Orca camera. of animals residing below this depth Photo courtesy of Kim Fulton-Bennet (c) 2009 often exhibit some form of biolumines- cence. The Eye in the Sea works by tak- to most sea crea- While the basic chemistry is known, ing the opposite approach – sitting tures. The added researchers do not understand why quietly and letting subsea creatures light helps in identify- animals light up or even how many come to it. ing animals by making types of glowing creatures there are. their non-luminescent The device is basically a very sensi- parts visible. This question is being addressed by tive black-and-white video camera the ‘Eye in the Sea’ which has been mounted on an aluminum tripod. The The underwater unit developed by the Ocean Research camera amplifi es stray photons of light can lure curious and Conservation Association to create images. animals into view, (ORCA). either The seafl oor around MARS is so deep by offering bait or Most deepsea research carried out and dark that a nearby bioluminescent by grabbing their at- is assisted by illumination from a animal can light up the screen. tention using an electronic fl ashing remote vehicle. While there is often jellyfi sh lure. Researchers plan to little alternative, it may not be the best The camera is focused on a spot add a high-resolution colour camera way to discover shy creatures, which about 2m (6ft) away and can see an (with powerful fl ash) that they can can dodge out of the way of the loud, area about 2 m wide. Extra illumina- trigger when something interesting glaring sub. tion is provided by red lights invisible swims into view.

At home in the ocean

Easytrak - Subsea Tracking Sub-bottom Profi ling Acoustic Positioning Acoustic Release and Telemetry

+44 (0)1493 440355 : [email protected] : www.appliedacoustics.comUT2 MARCH 2009 13 Oceans Oceans Hydroid for GEOMAR Ice Profi lers Kongsberg has shipped its fi rst autonomous underwater ASL Environmental Sciences has vehicle (AUV) system since Hydroid became part of the recently shipped two Ice Profi lers company in June 2008. A complete REMUS 6000 system to ConocoPhillips, bringing the total has been delivered to the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences number of Ice Profi lers sold to 100. (IFM-GEOMAR) in Kiel, Germany. Hydroid was awarded the US$3.2 million contract a year ago. ASL and the Institute of Ocean Sciences fi rst introduced this advanced upward After testing in the Canary Islands and Spain, it will be used on looking sonar (ULS) in the 1990s. Since various German research vessels. The initial test cruise will be then, ice research programmes have conducted with the system installed on the German research expanded considerably and the demand vessel, Poseidon. for high resolution measurements of sea ice thickness and the detailed under-ice The Leibniz Institute plans to use the deep-diving REMUS topography of sea ice has increased 6000 to further the study of volcanic and tectonic processes enormously. at mid-ocean spreading ridges and to understand how these processes infl uence hydrothermalism. A process where Offshore operators are increasingly superheated seawater circulating within the newly formed embarking activities in ice-prone areas rock is eventually ejected into the overlying ocean as buoyant like the Arctic Ocean, around Sakhalin hydrothermal plumes. Island, the Caspian Sea and the East Coast of Canada. Measurements of the seafl oor and water column at high spatial and temporal resolution are required to conduct this The Ice Profi ler provides ice thickness research. and drafts that are required to understand the ice pack changes in the Arctic Ocean and elsewhere - changes which are not well understood through existing predictions and models. The Remus AUV Ice Profi ler being deployed

Google Earth, Google Ocean

Google has released a new of new data for the rumoured “Google based on the Smith and Sandwell rendering of the ocean fl oors Ocean” model. global 1-minute grid between latitudes around the world in its Google +/- 81deg. Higher resolution grids Earth programme. It is not a true According to the copyright sources, the have been added from the LDEO 3D image, but instead the ocean data on the new ocean fl oor has come Ridge Multibeam Synthesis Project, fl oor is coloured to refl ect the terrain from a variety of sources including the JAMSTEC Data Site for Research features of the subsea surface. Scripps Institution of Oceanography Cruises, and the NGDC Coastal Relief (SIO), NOAA, US Navy, NGA and Model. Arctic bathymetry is from the Some have postulated, however, that GEBCO. Scripps have been running International Bathymetric Chart of the it might be the fi rst part of the release a project called SRTM30_PLUS Oceans (IBCAO).

14 UT2 MARCH 2009 Oceans ..... Tsunami Detection The National Early Warning System for Tsunami and Storm Surges in the Sonardyne has delivered the latest tional Institute of Ocean Technology Indian Ocean is a collective project batch of acoustic monitoring sensors (NIOT) of India, and they relay the initiated by the Ministry of Earth that will oversee the Indian coastline by warnings via a satellite link to the or- Sciences in India. providing the early detection and warn- ganisation’s headquarters in Chennai. ing of tsunami waves. The network of From there, alerts can be forwarded to It was launched following the new sensors will be deployed alongside the appropriate authorities in time for devastating tsunami of December the existing Sonardyne sensors in the precautions to be taken. 2004, and has become a signifi cant Bay of Bengal and off the west coast demonstration of Indian expertise. off India where they will continuously The contract for a tsunami detec- monitor the ocean for the characteristic tion system for India was awarded to Responsibility for development and water pressure changes that indicate a Sonardyne following an initial trial early deployment of the tsunami buoy developing tsunami. in 2007 when systems from Sonar- system and the algorithm for the dyne were evaluated. The further eight seabed pressure reference systems The Sonardyne monitors are based monitoring transponders were installed was given to NIOT. upon sophisticated subsea transpond- to provide immediate coverage for the ers equipped with highly accurate areas at most risk. The latest delivery The tsunami prediction modelling and pressure sensors that are positioned of sensors completes the Indian early the fi nal prediction was assigned to on the seabed hundreds of miles off the warning network and now provides the Indian National Centre Indian coast. monitoring for India’s entire coastline. for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) If one of the transponders detects a The success of the Sonardyne system in Hyderabad. small, but continuous, change in water is attributed to its use of proven acous- pressure it transmits an acoustic emer- tic technology that is in everyday use in Tsunami gency warning signal to a radio buoy the offshore oil and gas industry. The early warning moored on the surface above it. company’s Compatt 5 acoustic trans- system ponder proved to be the ideal hardware The buoys are operated by the Na- platform on which to base the sensor.

The updated ‘Google Earth’ model has not for example depicting weather patterns, the outcomes of Google Ocean will be met with universal approval, mostly due to currents, temperatures, shipwrecks, coral an understanding of how much remains the fact that it is not a true bathymetric map reefs and algal blooms. to be explored.” and thus contains no terrain or depth data anticipated with Google Ocean. A probable “Google will basically just provide the A free version of the programme can structure for Google Ocean will be a basic fi eld and then everyone will come to it be found at http://earth.google.com. layer showing the depth of the seafl oor to get their data out’ predicted Stephen An advanced version can be which will serve as a spatial framework for P. Miller, head of the Geological Data purchased for research and additional data sources. Additional data Center at the Scripps Institution of presentations. could then be displayed as overlying layers, Oceanography. “We hope that one of

UT2 MARCH 2009 15 Oceans Oceans Seabed Visualisation Depth Measurement Tritech has announced the launch of has the ability to capture Presens has developed a new generation the new StarFish 450H, an affordable, real-time, digital images of depth measurement sensor. Called high performance, hull-mounted side the seabed during every Precise, it measures pressure and scan sonar that produces images of journey. The 450H temperature with extreme accuracy the seabed. is straightforward under demanding conditions and has to operate and our a number of advantages over other The compact, slim-line sonar design user friendly software current solutions on the market. is combined with fl exible mounting makes seabed imaging bracket that can be fi xed onto a easy. Traditional systems use a vessel. This obviates the problems pressure sensor as a method of with snagging a towing cable when New StarFish Software establishing vertical depth. Technologies surveying in shallow or high traffi c wa- Tritech has also launched the new normally used to measure pressure are ters, making it very simple to operate. StarFish, Scanline V2.0 easy to use resonating quartz and square element software. The improved software has piezo resistive silicon. At the heart of the Utilising advanced digital CHIRP taken into account many of the requests Precise sensor, however, is Presens’ acoustic technology, developed from made by StarFish users. Amongst the proprietary patented technology. In the professional underwater survey new features are: comparison to conventional silicon industry, StarFish 450H can view pressure sensors that use diaphragms targets at longer ranges without any New log fi le format. Allows storage of with a piezo resistive resistor bridge loss in image quality. It out performs sensor and environmental parameters. to measure stress, Presens pressure many larger, commercial systems in Redesign using Microsoft Offi ce style sensors measure pressure-induced shallow water ribbon interface. compressive stress with a piezo resistive Hardware management system im- The StarFish 450 Series is designed provements: New automatic connection to be ‘plug and play’, connecting to system; improving the way external USB your Windows PC or laptop via a USB and serial (NMEA) devices are detected connection. Simple, one-time installa- and connected. Pressure Sensor tion to your boat means the client now Confi guration wizard – Helps to Applied Microsystems has launched quickly confi gure Scanline’s environ- two new products: P•Xchange, a ment, hardware and display settings. fi eld-swappable pressure sensor, and Depth plotter - Showing the Minos series of vertical profi ling depth below the sonar or instruments. from a NMEA echo-sounder attached to the system. Like the SV•Xchange sensor launched Hardware manager. New last year, P•Xchange eliminates the re- widget allows quick man- quirement to return instruments to the agement of which devices factory for pressure sensor recalibra- are connected or in an error tion. Benefi ts include increased instru- condition and to access their ment fi eld time, lower cost of owner- settings. ship, greater overall convenience and Data manager. New increased fl exibility. P•Xchange also widget helps quickly select offers users the opportunity to deploy which types of data are one instrument to dramatically differ- to be used from the at- ent depths without losing accuracy or tached sensors. resolution. GPS constellation viewer - Showing current The Minos SVP and Minos CTD are satellites in use, signal miniaturised logging profi lers designed strengths and details for vertical profi ling deployment from of the current fi x being small launches, boats or other space taken. constrained environments. Improved interface and redesign of data Roughly half the size of the Applied plotters. Microsystems Plus v2, the Minos also incorporates an LED indicator light Above: New StarFish that communicates logging and battery 450H. Above left. How the status. system works. Left: The The P•Xchange from Minos new StarFish display

16 UT2 MARCH 2009 Oceans .....

Swedish Tracking Above: Easytrack used by the Swedish wheatstone bridge integrated in a tubular The Swedish Coast Guard has recent- coastguard silicon structure. ly awarded Applied Acoustic Engineer- dynamic sea trials, Easytrak proved ing a contract for two Easytrak port- that it could precisely match this Using advanced digital MEMS technology, able subsea tracking systems through requirement by accurately plotting the Precise depth sensor has been its partner CA Clase of Göteborg. target locations, planning routes and designed for applications such as monitoring the paths of divers and transponders, deepwater positioning and Easytrak is a comprehensive USBL subsea vehicles in real time, saving AUV absolute depth navigation systems, tracking system that can provide vital time and providing safety benefi ts in CTD profi ling, tsunami detection and ROV location information on moving targets, the challenging underwater environ- relative depth that require high accuracy, such as divers and ROVs operating ment. low drift and high resolution. out of sight underwater. These will be primarily used in the authority’s search The Swedish Coast Guard is the Features include improved reliability and rescue operations, along Sweden’s fi rst such authority to use Easytrak providing longer fi eld deployment periods, coastline and in its many lakes. in its search and rescue missions, improved accuracy for better quality but several european navies already data for the acquisition or control system As well as the numerous vessels, use Easytrak for mine counter and extended maintenance/recalibration boats and vehicles the coast guard measure operations and harbour intervals reducing operating costs. requires to patrol, rescue and assist surveillance, while other national in maritime operations, the authority organisations, including police also recognises to need for special- authorities, are successfully utilising Left: The new ist technical equipment to add to its Easytrak systems for a range of sensor effectiveness and effi ciency. During underwater positioning tasks.

UT2 MARCH 2009 17

Oceans Oceans

Waterside Security Seabed Scanning Reson’s SeaBat 7112 and Chelsea Technologies has delivered SeaBat 7123 waterside a Nu-Shuttle oceanographic vehicle security systems were recently system to China. The Third Institute of tested during NATO harbour Oceanography in Xiamen will use it to protection trials in Eckernfoerde, interface specifi cally developed to undertake monitoring of temperature, Germany, under the auspices of the exchange target information and salinity, oxygen, pH and real-time Maritime Capability Group 3 on mines, receive control commands. It is plankton sampling. Similar systems mine countermeasures and harbour believed that this was the fi rst time have been supplied to the First protection. that a forward looking MCM sonar has Institute of Oceanography and the been fi tted to an AUV. Institute of Oceanographic Sciences in The programme examined possible Qingdao. terrorist threats for the protection of During the exercises, the Talisman ships in harbours or just berthed. performed a harbour inspection, berth The company has also confi gured a These included attacks from the inspection and the search of an area unit for marine geology applications. air, and above and under water. immediately outside the harbour using Working with Sequoia Scientifi c, a The waterside trials were designed SeaBat. Various mine-like object’s redesigned compact version of the to test the equipment in a range of (MLO’s) were deployed in and outside LISST 100x instrument has been realistic scenarios, including harbour harbor and the mission was to fi nd installed in the Nu-Shuttle. This is inspection, inspection of a mooring and and identify those objects. complemented by a Sontek MiniADP, swimmer detection. OBS3+ optical backscatter sensor and Operating at 240kHz the Seabat MINIpack CTD-fl uorimeter package. Reson participated in cooperation 7123 was able to collect good quality The system will be towed behind a with BAE Systems as well as WASS, imagery and provide a detailed survey survey vessel enabling real- time pro- SELEX and Calzoni. BAE participated of the harbour bottom. In two other fi le of suspended sediments through- with the Talisman autonomous scenarios, a pier mounted and ship out the water column. underwater vehicle (AUV) which mounted SeaBat 7112 was used for was designed to meet a range of diver detection. For these exercises The standard LISST 100x, redesigned operational requirements. Dependent RESON sonars and a tactical display into two smaller pressure housings on customer requirements, these were integrated into the SELEX resulting in a more compact unit with include conventional military mine command and control system and better fl ow orientation, provides real hunting as well security operations was able to make two clear diver time data on particle size distribution such as harbour protection. detections. The divers in both cases and volume concentration. The Sontek were using a strategy of moving ADP 1.5MHz was selected due to For the trials, the Talisman was fi tted from pier to pier and waiting, but the its small, compact size and ability to with a nose mounted RESON SeaBat Seabat was able to re-acquire the provide water current data during the 7123 with a dedicated software diver on each occasion. survey.

The Nu-Shuttle confi guration enables large areas of suspended sediment Contour Generator to be mapped on a regular basis and overcomes the coverage limitations of SevenCs has developed a ‘contour always err on the side of safety in buoy mounted and profi led systems. generator’ to supplement its suite of terms of depth and generated accord- It is ideally suited to provide real-time digital chart production and distribu- ing to the chart scale band. It supports data in support to dredging, land recla- tion software tools. The program is a ENC, IENC, AML, and SevenCs mation and river discharge monitoring. software plug-in for SevenCs existing bENC (bathymetric ENC) systems ENC Designer application, automati- as well as all common coordinate The Nu-Shuttle cally creates contours to “hydrograph- systems and 7-parameter transforma- ic rules” from source bathymetry. tions. It has confi gurable vertex density and fast processing. Not only are the contours smooth, but they A contour generated image. Contours are for a scale of 1:10.000 (1m interval) and 1:50.000 (2m interval)

18 UT2 MARCH 2009 ..... Training Courses at Ocean Business In the Ocean Business conference, Tritech Group/ SRD RS Aqua there are a number of training and Demonstrating its new sidescan towfi sh Demonstrating the Fiobuoy underwater demo sessions being conducted as part family on the Bill Conway Tues, Weds, marker buoy Test tank. Wed. of this event. These include Thurs. Classroom sessions demonstrat- ing a new range of high performance MacArtney IXSEA acoustic sensors, cameras, mechanical Presenting ROV equipped with DID- IXSEA’s FPV Morven will be used tooling and multibeam technology, Wed, SON, NEXUS, HD camera. Dockside in three two-hour daily sailings to Latest developments including uses and Tue, Wed, Thu. Classroom Weds. demonstrate the ELICS side scan applications of the Eclipse product fam- sonars, ECHOES sub-bottom profi l- ily. Tue, Wed, Thu. Kongsberg Maritime ers, positioning with GAPS USBL and EM3002 multibeam system along with HYDRINS and PHINS inertial naviga- Saab Seaeye Seapath position, heading and attitude system and EA400 single beam with tion systems with the new DELPH V2.7 Seaeye Falcon ROV System, Test tank side looking transducers. Tue, Wed,Thu. real-time acquisition and interpreta- Tue Wed Thu. tion software. Classroom sessions Valeport include the introduction to OCTANS Sonardyne Sound Velocity: Advanced digital tech- 1pm-2pm, Tue; Accumulated experi- Will carry out various demonstrations niques in measurement and calibration. ences using GAPS subsea positioning on the vessel Sound Surveyor Tue, Classroom Wed. system - 10.30am–11.30am, Wed and Wed, Thu while discussing Integrated PHINS inertial aided subsea positioning acoustic and inertial navigation systems All Oceans/Access Co UK 3pm–4pm, Thu. alongside innovative sonar technology Hand carriable, micro underwater re- Tue and Wed. motely operated vehicle. Tue, Wed, Thu. Applied Acoustics Showing its Portable USBL tracking Seabotix Nautilus Marine Service system. Classroom Tue, Remotely operated underwater vehicle Underwater glass housings, a users Vessel: RV Callista. Wed and Thu. system Test tank Tues, Dockside Wed, guide. Classroom. Tue.

Sonars & ROV Sensors Seabed Classification Communications Video Systems

Meet us at Ocean Business - Stand P6 National Oceanography Centre, March 31 - April 2, 2009 www.sonavision.co.uk

UT2 MARCH 2009 19 Oceans Oceans

correction, mosaic creation and sediment analysis. The new mosaics allow for more accurate seafl oor interpretations and consistent bottom classifi cation.

SIPS is a part of the CARIS ping- Software Enhancement CARIS SIPS 7.0 Mosaic to-chart product line delivering integrated software solutions for the entire workfl ow CARIS has incorporated new features type objects from imagery targets. of hydrographic information. for its sonar imagery processing software (SIPS), allowing the creation Released in March 2009, version Users are able to blend bathymetric and of accurate, high-resolution images 7.0 includes the integration of backscatter processing and production from raw sonar data. It also includes Geocoder technology. This gives into one harmonious workfl ow for quality a full suite of tools for creating S-57 advanced capabilities in signal processes.

Deepwater Acoustic Release As part of the HADEEP project for a successfully recovered acoustic because of its high performance in in the Tonga and Kermadec release) from the German research extremely shallow waters. trenches running north-south vessel FS Sonne. between Samoa and New Zealand, The fi rst GAPS USBL was mobilised Oceanlab, part of the University The landers were used to fi lm deep- in the spring of 2008 for several of Aberdeen, used four of Ixsea‘s sea life in full colour, some of which construction jobs on behalf of the Oceano 2500Ti-ultimate depth had not been seen in their natural contractor J Ray McDermott in Qatar. acoustic releases aboard a seabed environments, as well as collecting lander. water samples. A signifi cant number of mattresses and sleepers were laid successfully In July 2007, the lander was The AR891B2T acoustic releases are between Ras Laffan and various deployed fi ve times in the Kermadec custom built with high quality grade new platforms in North Field. The trenches at 6133m, 7049m, titanium, providing a service depths environment was noisy with a water 8170m, 9036m and fi nally at 10 of 12 000m and 2500kg safe working depth often less than 20m. 014m (an unoffi cial world record and release loads.

The mechanism was tested prior to dispatch to Oceanlab at 1420 bars pressure (13 200msw).

“The acoustic performances of the OCEANO 2500 series are designed to allow ranges well in excess of 12 000m in good environmental conditions, thanks to the choice of frequency range used, the secure and reliable command coding and to the use of associated TT801 deck set for remote control,” said Dr Alan Jamieson, Oceanlab, HADEEP project leader.

Fugro Survey (Middle East) has recently ordered another GAPS, IXSEA’s pre-calibrated USBL system,

Left: Deepwater acoustic release deployed at 10 014m Right: A GAPS USBL

20 UT2 MARCH 2009 UT2 MARCH 2009 21 Oceans Oceans Seabed Classifi cation Software RS Aqua at Ocean Business RS Aqua is toshow a number of prod- ucts at the Ocean Business exhibition. One such is Nautilus Marine Services Vitrovex glass products manufactured by Schott (formerly Jena Glassworks). Applications include instrument and camera housings, tubular and spheri- cal pressure containers and buoyancy modules rated to full ocean depth.

Vitrovex Glass containers Scottish seabed mapping company “Now with RoxAnn/Piscatus3D Sonavision has joined forces combination, users can get an even Aanderaa has noted an expanding with Seabed Mapping of New more precise view of the seafl oor in use of its RDCP600 doppler current Zealand to offer scientists a unique real-time.” profi ler for ship berthing applications. view of the seabed through the combination of RoxAnn Acoustic He added: “The system enables real- The unique surface tracking feature, Ground Discrimination Systems, time data classifi cation and mapping whereby vertical measuring zones and Piscatus3D Seabed Mapping of seabed geology and associated (bins) can always be referenced to Software. biological communities. Logged height below the surface, makes the data can be exported to geographic RDCP600 the perfect tool This comprehensive 3D system information systems (GIS) for for port, terminal displays exactly what is happening further spatial analysis to determine and dockyard under water in real time by the benthic habitat boundaries or type instal- connecting RoxAnn-GD and bathymetry and measure differences lations for Piscatus3D into a survey vessel’s between successive surveys.” which GPS and echosounder. A database reference of seabed material types and depths Historic RoxAnn data can also be to vessel draft is essential. from the survey area can be logged, input to Piscatus3D for analysis. Aanderaa Current profi ler and seafl oor models can be created Not only will RoxAnn-GD interface quickly and effi ciently. with any echosounder from 24kHz RS Aqua will also show the compact to 210kHz, but it can be switched C3 fl uorometer from Turner Designs. Andy Williamson, Sonavision from one to another and the This can incorporate up to three opti- director, commented, echosounder’s range can be changed cal sensors ranging from the ultra- “RoxAnn-GD has been the leading without affecting RoxAnn data.” violet to the infrared spectrum. Each acoustic ground discrimination lightweight C3 comes complete with a system for over 20 years and has He added: “Piscatus3D software is a factory installed temperature sensor, a proved itself to be an invaluable tool real-time dynamic mapping engine, depth rating of 600m, a huge internal for scientists and surveyors.” constantly updating as the survey data memory and user friendly C-Soft vessel moves across the surface. software. “It classifies seabed ground types by extracting data on bottom “New information is fi ltered, groomed, Options include a mechanical wiper roughness and hardness from fi tted and contoured, continually assembly, a pressure sensor, submers- the acoustic transducer echoes. updating and refi ning the map to ible battery pack, fl ow cap, shade cap For many years, the technology create a uniquely detailed view of and solid secondary standard. has been employed world wide the seabed, all in real time. With this Turner in lakes, inshore coastal waters, software logging RoxAnn-GD data, Designs’ riverbeds, reservoirs and inland users will instantly have a much fl uorometer waterways. clearer understanding of the seabed.”

22 UT2 MARCH 2009 FUNCTION ELECTRIC MANIPULATOR ARM

ARM 5E on show at

visit stand H2

CSIP has developed the market’s first underwater 5 function electric manipulator arm.

The arm can be mounted in the same footprint as a hydraulic arm and does not require the use of a skid, valve pack or hydraulic pump. This saves weight and allows greater vehicle manoeuvrability. The modular construction allows for easy maintenance and repair and the digital positioning feature achieves an accuracy of 0.5mm.

Lifting capacity of 25Kg Constructed of HE30 Hard Anodised Aluminium, 316 Stainless Steel and Nickel Aluminium Bronze Powered by electric motors, brushless 24-30 VDC Reach of 1.044m radius and a slew of 120° Fully pressure compensated to 0.4 Bar above ambient Rated for use at depths down to 3000 metres

t: +44 (0) 1305 779020 [email protected] www.csip.co.uk www.ecagroup.com

UT2 MARCH 2009 Underwater Systems 23 Subsea Cables and Umbilicals Oceans Usan and Skarv

Nexans has been awarded a Delivery of the cable should start €42million contract by Saipem in the autumn of 2009 with Usan subsidiary EMC, to develop, due on stream nearer 2011. Earlier manufacture and supply umbilicals this year, Nexans delivered similar and associated equipment for the umbilicals to EMC for the Akpo fi eld Usan deepwater development, in the same area. 100km off the coast of Nigeria. The contract is one of the largest Nexans has also been umbilical orders ever received by awarded an €11 million contract Top: A section through the USAN Nexans. by BP Norge to supply a direct umbilical. Above: The Skarv DEH electrical heating (DEH) system line Total’s Usan fi eld is located in water for the Skarv subsea production A number of methods may be depths ranging from 750m to 850m. pipeline in the Norwegian Sea. used for maintaining fl ow, such as It is expected to come onstream Nexans is reportedly the only chemical injection, but DEH has early in 2012 and to ramp up quickly supplier with experience of this proved to be both a reliable and eco- to plateau production of 180 000b/d unique technology and has already friendly solution to the problem. of oil. supplied this type of system for 17 subsea pipeline installations. Nexans will supply all cables and The fi eld development plan comprises dedicated subsea equipment for the 23 producer wells and 19 water and “DEH is a reliable, eco-friendly and DEH system. The cables will also be gas injector wells, tied back to an cost-effective method of maintaining manufactured at Halden and should FPSO unit with a storage capacity of 2 fl ow in production pipelines, and be delivered for installation in the million barrels of oil. Nexans’ specialist there is increasing interest in spring of 2010. umbilical facility in Halden, Norway, electrical pipeline heating from a will produce 30 individual lengths of variety of companies and projects”, The DEH system was developed umbilical for the Usan project, to be says Patrick Barth, high voltage through a partnership of Norwegian delivered on 17 reels. activities managing director. operators and suppliers.

The umbilicals, which will supply vital A 12in diameter production pipeline StatoilHydro is a major user of this control functions and chemicals for will be installed from one of the technology and the Åsgard, Huldra, the subsea systems, will connect the production wells at the fi eld to the Kristin, Norne, Tyrihans, Alve and wells and the fl oating, production, FPSO. The distance between the Morvin fi elds all have Nexans DEH storage and offl oading unit (FPSO). well and vessel is around 13km. systems installed.

Airgun Umbilicals Jade

Umbilical manufacturer JDR is to engineer and Global Marine has commercialised its Jointing Automated manufacture airgun umbilicals and lead-in cables for an Documentation Environment (JADE) submarine cable software. ultra-modern 3D seismic fl eet. The company has been This software means jointers no longer need to wade through many awarded the contract by the Polarcus Group, based in volumes of paper and fi ll out multiple reports for each joint. The soft- Dubai U.A.E, for its entire fl eet of six new build, ultra- ware builds on the highly successful SwiftScan system, introduced modern 3D seismic vessels. by Global Marine two years ago, and the present paper system for monitoring joint quality. The scope awarded to JDR includes the supply of 35km of airgun umbilicals and 65km of lead-in cable JADE eliminates unnecessary steps by generating a unique, on- systems. The cable systems will be supplied from screen manual for each occasion, guiding the jointer through the JDR’s new quayside facility located at Krimpen build process and creating a comprehensive report as the joint progresses. The six vessel fl eet will be completed over the next two “Due to the unique nature of a manual for each joint, we have been years, with the fi rst 12 streamer vessel operational in able to remove a great deal of the complexity inherent in the current Q3 2009 and all six vessels operational within 2010. paper based systems and provide our jointers with only the relevant JDR will manufacture cables for a fl eet of seismic vessels information,” said John Golding Operations Director for Global Marine.

A DEH cable

24 UT2 MARCH 2009 KM_UT2_Mar09.ai 05/03/2009 09:44:00

THE FULL PICTURE

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Marine CCTV Drill support CCTV systems Specialist naval vessel CCTV systems

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See us on Stand N1 at Ocean Business 2009, 31 March - 2 April National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UKUT2 MARCH 2009 25 Oceans Oceans The Digital

Digital Controlled Manipulator The digital control of devices opens up a number of exciting possibilities for the future of the subsea The remote systems manufacturer CSIP has recently intervention sector. It provides precision movement developed a novel all-electric manipulator arm. Tests and very accurate reputability. It can also be operated have shown that it performs to exactly the same level using an open digital control interface. as a hydraulic arm of a similar specifi cation but offers a number of other advantages. Instead of being controlled by its own joystick or graphical user interface, it can be connected directly “Most of the new vehicles are all electric, and so we with the ROV’s control system. This potentially allows decided to design an electrical manipulator to match instruments to work in tandem with each other semi- the capabilities of the entire ROV system,” said CSIP automatically. Managing Director, Simon Gilligan. If, for example, the ROV’s computer knew Almost all manipulators are currently hydraulic. This where the jaws of a manipulator were, it could requires a pump and valve pack to be hosted on the direct cameras and lights to that specific point ROV to provide power for the arms. Removing these items decreases the weight of the vehicle. It also removes the possibility of hydraulic fl uid leaking out in the case of an accident. to repeat an action precisely. Once users can see what they can do with the arm, CSIP predicts that this will open Electrical arms have the same working envelope up the possible number of uses. as their hydraulic counterpart. They can be used for cutting, clearing debris, turning valves, etc. Since the control system knows where the arm is, it is The principal advantage, however, is that they are possible to have two arms working together and enables considerably more controllable. greater accuracy. The computer can also set a zone of exclusion to prevent one arm from hitting the other. Gilligan continues, “Most of the hydraulic arms are what are often referred to as bang-bang, in that they “Electric arms have been designed in the past, but it is only are either on or off. An electrical arm has incremental fairly recently, that the components have been available to movement and therefore, much more accurate to compete with the hydraulic technology,” said drive.” Simon Gilligan.

“We now have access to the latest generation of extremely powerful electric motors and gearboxes. This has allowed us to create a set of electric actuators that mimic their hydraulic equivalents.”

CSIP’s new electric manipulator arm, ARM 5E, has the sort of power that is The ARM 5E suitable for the latest, large work-class manipulator arm electric ROVs such as SubAtlantic’s Comanche, Schilling’s EHD and The digital positioning of the actuators SeaEye’s new Jaguar vehicle. The can achieve an accuracy of typically latest design is a fi ve-function arm around 0.5mm in stroke position. The but CSIP is considering a seven-function electric arm. computer control electronics know where the arm is at all times, and its The CSIP ARM 5E manipulators can be controlled via exact position can be displayed in three a range of controls such as hand grips, joysticks and dimensions on screen. master/slave arrangements. The arms are also available with various types of jaws, grabbers cutters, parallel jaws Being digital, it is possible to programme and rotating brushes. the arm to carry out a specifi c task or select a task from a function register in One addition that would be relatively simple to install on the control software. The arm will then electrically operated manipulator jaws is a force feedback automatically perform that operation. mechanism. This could prevent overgripping and crushing It also has a learning capacity. As its the object to be moved. “In theory, it would be possible to movements are recorded digitally, it is possible pick up a egg without any diffi culty,” said Gilligan.

26 UT2 MARCH 2009 Oceans Revolution .....

automatically, letting the ROV operator concentrate on manoeuvring the mother vehicle. This would save time when carrying out an operation and increase safety.

A sonar mounted on a pan and tilt unit, could be directed to look at a specifi c structure and tell the operator how far away it is from the vehicle. It could therefore automatically alert or prevent manipulator arms from accidentally contacting with it. The OE10-102 digital The fi rst of these digitally-controlled electric devices pan-and-tilt unit are starting to appear and could herald a new way of thinking. Two companies, CSIP and Kongsberg have been independently following this philosophy for the design of torque to be able to move relatively heavy their respective contributions to ROV equipment. camera/light/sonar combinations as a single unit. Robustness is also very important, particularly when the pan and tilt is subject to the general rigours of the subsea environment.

The ability to handle a sizeable load yet remain Digital Pan and Tilt compact – another useful property – has historically meant that hydraulic units have been preferred as A pan and tilt unit is essentially a platform enabling they tend to be particularly powerful for their size. devices to move in directions independent of the host In recent years, however, with the growth in the use vessel. It normally consists of two connected motorised of high-magnifi cation zoom inspection cameras, assemblies able to rotate 90deg of each other. Cameras more precise positional control has emerged as a and lights are most commonly mounted on the pan and particularly important feature. Achieving this has tilt, with forward-looking multibeam or scanning sonar meant turning to electric-based systems. systems used for applications with low visibility. The most simple form of electric control is by means In subsea applications, these are most commonly seen of switched power lines. Kongsberg, however, in ROVs, where their ability to sweep across an area decided to introduce much more sophisticated digital effectively gives the camera a wide fi eld of view without control with RS232/485-based cabling. One very having to move the vehicle. Another common subsea use useful property that this confers is that it allows the for a pan and tilt mounting is to allow a wellhead-mounted ability to guide the pan and tilt to precise pre-deter- camera to observe and assist in drilling operations. mined or preset positions.

But what makes a good pan and tilt? This was the The other advantage is that they can be pro- question leading underwater device specialist Kongsberg grammed to return to a preset ‘parked’ position in Maritime asked itself when it began to work on its next the event that the operator loses orientation on the generation OE10-102 design. camera image. With 9-bit positional feedback ac- curacy it is possible to position to better than half a One useful property is for the unit to have suffi cient degree of arc!

The OE10-102 measures 180mm by 140mm by 120mm. It is able to accommodate a large camera/ Backlash light array of up to 25kg (many pan and tilt systems typically work in the range of 10–12kg). It has a Many cameras suffer from backlash during their 35 newton/metre torque ratio. operation. Backlash is the term for the shaking effect when a heavy load suddenly stops. When using the It can also satisfy the most arduous shock and latest high resolution cameras to focus on precise vibration. During testing, the unit was put through details, this movement can be disturbing. military level vibration testing to make sure the shaft was strong enough. Kongsberg reduced the backlash by using very compact harmonic gearing that allows steady A fi nal advantage of this system is that it can be movement with considerable control. powered by both 24V DC or 110v AC, the latter being common supply in the wellhead area.

UT2 MARCH 2009 27 ROVs ROVs Aircraft Crash Seabotix’s ROVs were recently used under a rocky ledge. As the LBV to fi nd very different lost objects. approached, it became apparent that the lifting handle and guide loop at Last year, an aeroplane crashed – the the bow of the AUV had hung up on second involving the same model of the jagged rock ledge. Without the aircraft. The Australian Transport and ability to provide downward thrust, Safety Bureau (ATSB) was anxious to the AUV was unable to free itself. survey the wreckage and recover the black boxes. It arranged a SeaBotix The LBV was manoeuvred into LBV150SE-5 with a scanning sonar, position and the manipulator was tracking system and grabber to be used to grasp the propeller. Using Icy Ise Hysub deployed from a 72m DP1 vessel. its brushless thrusters, the LBV was Amid -3°C temperature and snow, able to work the Remus free and International Submarine Engineering The approximate location of the drag it backwards. The LBV then (ISE) commenced trials and test- wreckage was known, and after two assisted the AUV in the 137m ascent ing on the China Geological Survey hours of tracking, the wreckage of the to the surface, and a lifting line was remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for aircraft was located by the LBV, along attached to hoist the AUV onto the its fi rst test dive in the ISE pool. with the cockpit voice recorder (CVR). aft deck. Named Sea Lion, the ROV is an After a failed attempt and changing The US Army has awarded a ISE HYSUB 130hp ROV scheduled the three-jaw grabber for an interlock- $1.86M contract for 27 LBV150 for delivery in the fi rst quarter of ing set, the LBV locked onto the CVR SE-5 ROVs with an option to extend 2009. Sea Lion is the fi rst ROV for handle and was lifted to the surface. the contract for additional systems Guangzhou Marine Geology Sur- After a few hours, the fl ight data re- through 2011. The vehicles have a vey (GMGS), a division of China’s corder (FDR) was also located. sonar, tracking, laser scaling, metal Ministry of Land and Resources. It thickness and cathodic protection has a depth rating of 4000m, suitable The second application was during probes as well as a crawler skid as- for reaching the depths required for an offshore military exercise, where sembly (CSA). the mineral exploration the vehicle is a navy lost a 3.25m long Remus 600 designed to perform. AUV. The built-in navigation system This has a Vortex generator with four was able to pinpoint the AUV’s loca- independent drive wheels and a Vortex The Sea Lion ROV comes equipped tion to a fi xed position. generator with 20Kg of suction force, with 8 hydraulic thrusters, two ISE allowing the operator to “attract” the Magnum manipulators, 6 cameras, A Seabotix LBV multi-function grab- LBV to various objects. This keeps all and a full sensor package. Unique to ber with an upgraded depth rating sensors stable in relation to the area the ROV is a 4000m rated hyperbaric of 200m, containing scanning and under inspection. As it does not require clathrate bucket designed to collect multi-beam sonars as well as a USBL thrusters or magnets, the LBV150 SE5 hydrate cores containing methane tracking system was deployed. does not churn the sediment around gasses. The skid mounted bucket the area of inspection and works on maintains the required pressure and Operations were performed in high any solid material including metal, temperature conditions similar to the winds, with a 2m swell and 1.5kt cur- concrete, wood, and composites. hydrate’s geophysical environment. rent. The LBV was deployed off the stern using an umbilical sheave on The army confi guration includes a Sea Lion’s propulsion system today the boom and a clump weight 30m Tritech Micron Scanning sonar, 3-jaw is being tested, along with a newly back from the LBV. At 105m, the LBV grabber with cutter head attach- formed power management opti- reached the seafl oor and transects ment, LYYN video enhancement, misation system. Production is on were begun. The visibility was good, digital video recording, and number of schedule, and factory acceptance requiring no light for the sensitive crawler skid bridges, dams, seawalls, testing will be completed in the next high-resolution cameras. piers, and dry docks. few weeks.

A new set of GPS coordinates was The LBV150 SE-5 ROV searched on the second day of operations. About two hours into searching the steep slopes, the LBV turned to make another pass and Remus 600 was spotted off in the distance, stuck

ROV tank testing 28 UT2 MARCH 2009 UT2 MARCH 2009 29 ROVs ROVs

Buoyant Market Going East The Panther Plus Subsea polymer engineering specialist In a major breakthrough into the region, Blue Whale Offshore Engineering Balmoral Offshore Engineering has Chinese oil and gas market, Technology Company. been working with the industry to create Saab Seaeye has sold two Panther a new range of ROV buoyancy to meet Plus electric workclass ROVs to The two ROVs supplied to continuing deepwater demands. The China’s largest off-shore engineering the COOEC are rated to company’s latest high performance, company, the Chinese Offshore Oil 1000m. Each is driven by low density composite is available in Engineering Corporation (COOEC). ten DC brushless thrusters fi ve standard grades: The 415kg/m3 This follows an earlier sale of a for fi ngertip manoeuvrability, LD1500PF system is depth rated to Panther Plus and represents an with dual redundancy for 1500m; the 430kg/m3 LD2000PF expanding capability for COOEC security of operation. Each system is rated to 2000m; the 470kg/m3 which is part of China National Oil. vehicle also comes fi tted LD3000PF system is rated to 3000m; with dual manipulator arms; the 510kg/m3 LD5000PF system is Of the two vehicles sold to the brush cleaning and water rated to 5000m and the 540kg/m3 Chinese offshore company, one will jetting tools; disc and LD7000PF system is rated to work in operate from a tether management cable cutting tools; a 7000m. system (TMS), with the other being range of cameras free-swimming. and lights; and The improved low density materials sonar with allow for increased levels of uplift within Technical support will come from bathymetric a defi ned volume. These advantages Saab Seaeye’s distributor in the system. can be used in a number of ways, such as reducing vehicle dimensions or increasing uplift without changing the overall dimensions, or both. These high Rock Trencher performance syntactic foams are now SMD has delivered the world’s rock beneath the pipe. Spoil is removed being specifi ed in the construction of largest and most powerful subsea by four very large dredge pumps before ROV and tooling pack buoyancy. rock trenching vehicle for the burial of the pipe is then lowered into the trench. pipelines to its owners, CTC Marine Ultra-high performance binder systems Projects. Coupled with this strength, the RT-1 have been identifi ed, and specially- is also fl exible enough to cope with processed glass microspheres have Called the RT-1, the 185t vehicle was soft seabed conditions. Buoyancy is been adopted, to produce syntactic too heavy to lift and too large to fi t provided by two enormous air-fi lled foams which set new standards of through the door. SMD had to remove tanks with the capacity to reduce the performance for deepwater syntactic an entire wall of the production facility RT-1’s weight in water, to 20t. Used buoyancy material. to mobilise the trencher! in conjunction with a jetting only Market reports predict that in excess option, the RT-1 is able to fl uidise of 650 new work class ROVs will be The 2.3MW unit will work at sand to bury the pipe. When soil required to meet industry demands depths of up to 500m. It is driven conditions get harder, again the over the next fi ve years. on wide plastic tracks enabling it buoyancy tanks can discharge air to manoeuvre on various seafl oor to increase the effective weight While the industry is reported to have terrains. Two giant cradles capable of in water. spent $1.6 billion on ROV operations lifting 65t each provide the strength to during 2008, this fi gure is forecast to lift a prelaid 1.5m-diameter pipe into rise to some $2.4 billion by 2012. the safety of supporting pipe roller With a shortage of vehicles and cradles. personnel, demand will continue to outstrip supply, even in the medium Huge tungsten carbide tipped term, with costs having escalated by chain cutters are confi gured almost 50% during 2008 alone. in a novel three-cutter arrangement to Continued high levels of activity in excavate a 2m trench deepwater hotspots such as West through up to 40MPa Africa and Brazil will ensure vital compressive strength technologies such as ROV operations will continue to fl ourish even during short-term oil price dips.Expenditure on new-build ROVs is expected to top $2 billion during the period 2008-12.

30 UT2 MARCH 2009 ROVs ...... ISS ROV Control System Wet Mate Connector Oil and gas specialist Integrated The modular design and functional- Seacon has added the new Subsea Systems (ISS) has taken ity of the system not only provides Sea-Mate to its range of delivery of a latest generation ROV the latest communications capabili- underwater electrical wet-mate control system to provide high speed ty and ‘touch screen’ graphical user connectors. communications, control and real- interface (GUI), but also allows for time diagnostics. ongoing customer/ manufacturer Adapted from the standard diver driven system evolution and further mated screwed coupling version, The Aberdeen-headquartered diving sensor integration. the Sea-Mate ROV connector and ROV service fi rm has invested in was primarily developed for an the new state-of-the-art subCAN de- This is the second system to oceanographic subsea monitoring veloped by leading manufacturer and be procured by ISS for their system that had to adopt a modular Triton Group subsidiary, Sub-Atlantic. Comanche ROVs during 2008. design in order to allow easy Dubai-based, subsea engineering installation and reconfi guration. SubCAN offers high speed commu- specialist, Dulam International, has nications and data network system also bought subCAN for use with The new connector’s key providing command, control and real a Comanche ROV, tether manage- requirements were that it had to be time diagnostic functions for Sub-At- ment system and pipeline survey low cost with wet-mate ability to a lantic ROVs. package. depth of 9250m (13 500psi) without using costly fl uid-fi lled pressure compensated connector options.

The new Sea-Mate ROV series fi lls the gap between low-cost Tracking Jason rubber moulded connectors and Sonardyne’s Ranger Wideband transceiver and telemetry link in high integrity oil-fi lled pressure ultra-short baseline (USBL) acoustic one low-power acoustic instrument. compensated connectors. positioning system was recently used Onboard the control vessel Thomas to track the ROV, Jason, down to the G Thompson, a Sonardyne 8023 Big The technology adapted and seabed in 4700m of water. The work Head surface transceiver, specifi cally enhanced in this new connector was carried out by researchers from the developed for ultra-deep target track- comes from the well proven Wet- Deep Submergence Laboratory of the ing, was deployed on a temporary Con/All-Wet industry standard Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution pole over the side of the vessel. connectors that have been (WHOI). manufactured by Seacon for During the deepwater dive, the several decades. The ROV is a two-body system. Electri- Sonardyne system was able to cal power and commands are sent along achieve a positioning accuracy of The Sea-Mate ROV is ideally a 10km (6mile) fi bre-optic umbilical 0.32% of slant range, or +15m, suited for systems that do not through Medea and on to Jason. The despite the temporary, relatively fl ex- require high numbers of mate and line returns data and live video imagery. ible, over the side pole. demate cycles and those that allow Medea serves as a shock absorber, the socket portion of the connector buffering Jason from the movements of This performance proved almost as to be recovered for maintenance the ship, while also providing lighting and good as WHOI’s existing tracking sys- every fi ve to ten mate and breaks visual assistance. tem and far more convenient to use, (it is recommended a full sealing as no seabed transponders have to cap is used during this process to On route to the trials site, be deployed fi rst. In addition, Jason’s protect the pins from Sonardyne had equipped Jason position could be updated at 1Hz. damage). with its AvTrak 2 transceiver, while Medea was The Sea-Mate fi tted with a direc- ROV connector tional Compatt 5 transponder. The AvTrak 2 com- bines the functions of transponder,

UT2 MARCH 2009 31 OFFSHORE Projects

Water Depth Record on Perdido

Shell has set a world water depth export production within a 30-mile

Offshore Projects drilling record on the Silvertip fi eld radius. – part of the Perdido development, approximately 320km from Houston First production is anticipated around in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). The well the turn of the decade, where it will was drilled in 2852m (9356ft) of water, produce around 130 000b/d. The around 35% deeper than the 2118m development will also include 77 miles (6950ft) on Shell’s Fourier fi eld. of oil export pipelines and 107 miles of gas export pipelines. Peridido lies in the Alaminos Canyon and consists of three fi elds: Great Perdido has a Paleogene reservoir White, Tobago and Silvertip. Shell which is typically older and buried The Noble Clyde Boudreaux used to drill operates the fi elds on behalf of deeper than most reservoirs previously the record breaking well Chevron and BP. The plans envisage developed in the GoM. Consequently, Another feature of Perdido is that it a total of 35 wells–indeed, Shell this type tends to have more will be the fi rst application of wet-tree intends to drill a well in 2934m challenging porosity and permeability direct vertical access (DVA) wells. DVA (9627ft) waters on Tobago. characteristics. confi guration allows a larger number of subsea completions to be accessed The fi eld will be developed by a In addition, the initial reservoir pressure by the facility’s rig drilling, resulting in drilling/production spar hub moored is lower than typically encountered. This signifi cant savings in the drilling and in around 2500m (8000ft) of water, will therefore be the fi rst application completions programs for these wells. which will make it the deepest in the of full host scale subsea separating world, shattering the current spar and boosting, which enables improved The wet-tree DVA system will use water depth record by over 2200ft. recovery by removing about 2000psi of a single high-pressure drilling and With increased water depth comes back pressure from the wells. completion riser suspended from the additional challenges due to extreme host to access 22 subsea trees directly water pressure, cold temperatures “Perdido has low-energy reservoirs, with below the host. The confi guration and extreme marine conditions, low temperatures and pressure, so we will allow the use of a surface blow- such as wind, waves, currents and have to separate liquids and gas at the out preventer (BOP) for the drilling, seasonal tropical storms. seafl oor and then pump it to the surface. completion and later sidetracking of Without developing the technology to do wells. By using a single well slot for The fl oating structure will weigh this, we simply couldn’t reliably produce the accessing the wells beneath the 50000t. It can gather, process and fi elds,” said Project Manager Dale Snyder. host, the size and cost of the host can be reduced without limiting well count fl exibility, which is important given the increasing subsurface challenges in a maturing deepwater environment.

“With more traditional DVA systems, we would be looking at signifi cantly greater space requirements on the topsides to accommodate the wells system. The advantage of the wet tree DVA is that it reduces the space required and, therefore, the cost impacts from the wells system,” said Rome Gonzalez, wells team lead.

Left: Water depth

records. Right; The spar that will be used to develop the fi eld

32 UT2 MARCH 2009 Offshore Projects

Tupi Trees Campos Basin The development of Petrobras’ giant Tupi fi eld came a step nearer recently, when Aker Solutions was awarded a con- tract from Petrobras to supply the fi rst set of subsea trees, TUPI including control systems in a EUR45 million (US$64.61 Santos Basin Area million) contract. Location of Tupi Scope of work is nine vertical subsea trees to work in 8202ft (2500m) of water, subsea control systems, two complete tool sets plus related accessories and spare parts. Delivery of the fi rst subsea tree is scheduled for the end of 2010.

This is the latest in a number of contracts since the one Petrobras announced in November 2007, when it had made its discovery in the Santos basin – with estimated recover- able reserves of 5-8bln barrels of oil equivalent – one the world’s largest in recent years. The Tupi fi eld is in a region that lies about 402km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in water as much as 3km deep. The oil rests a further 5–7km below the ocean fl oor. Tupi lies under an extensive layer of salt, the formation is more than 800km long and up to 200km wide. Water depths Petrobras is currently carrying out extended well tests range between 1500 and 3000m, while burial is between that are expected to continue throughout the year. Plans 3000 and 4000m. enviasage the fi eld will produce up to 100,000 barrels oil equivalent per day (boe/d) in a pilot system between late 2010 and early 2011. The fi eld will be developed in ‘multi- Petrobras has secured three sixth-generation deepwater stages’ spread over several years. By 2012–13, output could new build units from Seadrill – all able to drill in water be around 100 000–200 000 boe/d, with the fi eld said to be depths of up to 2400m. The West Orion and West Taurus capable of producing up to 1 million boe/d once fully devel- (built in Jurong, Singapore) and the West Eminence (from oped. Samsung South Korea) will join the West Polaris for work on Tupi and Carioca. Petrobras has contracted a 30 000 b/d fl oating produc- tion, storage and offl oading (FPSO) from BW Offshore for Full production of Tupi might require around 100 wells. a long-term production test of a single well. This is due to Development is likely to be a FPSO facilities vessel. Petro- start later this year. Last may, BW Offshore signed a letter bras has estimated that between six and 12 FPSOs will be of intent to convert and operated the turret-moored FPSO needed to produce Tupi. BW Peace for a contract period of ten years. The BW Peace has a processing capacity of 40 000 b/d of oil and a storage A Petrobras spokesman has said that capacity of 1 million bbl. the Tupi fi nd is a very small part of a new oil province that the company Plans also include an enhanced pilot project, which should believes is beneath existing start in December 2010 with four to fi ve oil wells and have a fi elds. capacity for up to 16 connected wells including injectors. Petrobras is also Last August, Petrobras signed a 15 year contract with studying plans to either Petrobras for the supply, charter and operations of a FPSO liquefy or compress for a 15 year duration. Mitsui Ocean Development and natural gas in the Tupi Engineering Co (MODEC) is responsible for the engineer- fi eld aboard ships for ing, procurement, construction, mobilisation and operations, transport to Brazil, including topsides processing equipment, hull and marine or use the gas to system, while SOFEC will design and provide the spread generate electricity mooring. on fl oating generating stations. MODEC will convert the VLCC M/V Sunrise IV into the FPSO Cidade de Angra dos Reis MV22. The FPSO will be Total development capable of processing 100 000 barrels of oil per day or 150 costs have been put 000bbl of total fl uids per day, 150million ft3 per day of gas, at US$50–$100Bn and having a storage capacity of approximately 1 600 000 to produce. barrels. The FPSO will also be able to inject 100 000 barrels of water per day. One of the trees to be installed on Tupi

UT2 MARCH 2009 33 SUBSEA Projects

Åsgard A Åsgard B Subsea Projects Yttergryta Onstream StatoilHydro’s fast-track Yttergryta subsea fi eld in the Norwegian Sea has started gas production only 8 months after the plan for development and operation (PDO) was approved and only 18 months since the fi eld was fi rst discovered.

The gas fi eld is located around 33km east of Åsgard B in the Norwegian Sea. It has been developed with a subsea template and Midgard one production well of about 2400m depth. Recoverable reserves are around 1.75 billion m3 of gas with some condensate.

The fi eld came onstream four months ahead of schedule. The fi rst part of the subsea production facility was already in place before exploration drilling was started

Yttergryta will help maintain the production fl ow from the Åsgard fi eld into which it is tied back. Containing very

little carbon dioxide (CO2), the gas from Yttergryta will be mixed with the export gas from Åsgard. Production from the fi eld will be regulated by the demand on the Åsgard fi eld. Yttergryta is the fi rst fi eld that StatoilHydro as a joint Yttergryta company has developed from PDO to production start. Recoverable reserves in the fi eld are around 11 million barrels of oil equivalent (BOE).

Frigg Decommissioning Åsgard/Heidrun Sonsub has recently completed the removal and disposal of all infi eld StatoilHydro has awarded FMC two offshore campaign for the Total Frigg sealines, plus all power cables, umbili- major contracts for fi elds in the Norwe- Sealines Cessation Plan, resulting cals, communication lines, grout bags, gian Sea. The fi rst is for the manufac- in a successful conclusion to the sand bags and concrete mattresses, ture and supply of additional subsea project. saddles and blocks. Additional scope equipment for its Åsgard fi eld located included rock berm smoothing and in the Norwegian Sea. This contract is Frigg straddles the boundary be- general debris clearance. valued at approximately $68 million. tween the Norwegian and UK Conti- nental Shelves in the North Sea, with Following the Normand Cutter FMC’s scope of supply includes two the project involving the offshore campaign, the multipurpose completion workover intervention tool- decommissioning of all sealines offshore support vessel ing systems that will be delivered during within a designated 500m zone. Far Sovereign completed the re- 2009. The equipment will be manufac- covery of all the infi eld fl exible and tured at FMC’s Kongsberg, Norway and The Sonsub scope of work com- small diameter rigid lines utilising a Dunfermline, Scotland facilities. prised the engineering, preparation, reverse reeling method – a fi rst time for Sonsub. A further milestone The second is for similar work on the achievement for the company Heidrun North project. This $45 million was the recovery of four rigid and contract includes three subsea produc- fl exible lines from beneath a large tion trees and two water injection trees rock dump without the need for to increase oil recovery. FMC will also complete prior excavation. supply 10 tubing hangers, 6 control systems and 3 fl ow control modules. Sonsub will continue decommis- The equipment will also be manufac- sioning work on the Frigg DP1 tured at FMC’s Kongsberg, Norway and platform later this year. Dunfermline facilities, with deliveries scheduled to occur during 2010.

34 UT2 MARCH 2009 Subsea Projects ..... New ABS FPSO Rules Venture Subsea 7 has been awarded a contract ABS has adopted new structural requirements for the evaluation of converted by Venture Production plc to manage fl oating production, storage and offl oading (FPSO) units. This follows close work the integrity of its subsea assets. with the industry for the past year to develop the new criteria. Leading FPSO designers and operators that have participated in the development and reviewed the new ABS criteria say it better refl ects the true operational nature of a FPSO. Senergy Aberdeen-based Senergy, has “The methodology and practices for the new FPSO conversion criteria are been named as well operator for the offshore-centered,” says Xiaozhi (Christina) Wang, senior managing pPrincipal North sea oilfi elds North and South engineer, ABS research and product development. “The new requirements apply Cormorant, Tern, Eider, Kestrel and FPSO-specifi c loading conditions and prescribed strength assessment proce- Pelican fi elds and Hudson Field in a dures that are to be followed.” two-year contract.

ABS says the criteria allows for better prediction of environmental loads using more realistic load cases. Realistic tank load patterns as well as appropriate load Royal Boskalis Westminster combination factors were used in the development of the criteria. Low cycle fa- Royal Boskalis Westminster has tigue was also factored into the criteria acknowledging the cyclic, more frequent acquired three offshore contracts with a loading and discharge nature of FPSOs as compared to trading tankers. total value amounts to approximately €100 million. According to Wang, the revised fatigue assessment approach takes account of actual FPSO operations, including the variations in tank loadings due to the Two contracts are linked to NordStream, many loading and offl oading cycles, as well as sea waves and swell. The wave where Boskalis will prepare the seabed and swell loadings subject the hull structure to high cycle fatigue loads, whereas for the laying of the pipelines over the the loading and unloading of the cargo tanks subject the structure to low cycle full 1220km distance of the NordStream fatigue loads. pipelines, while executing the shore ap- proach of the pipelines in Germany. In addition to varying loading patterns, FPSOs are intended to operate at a specifi c site for a numbers of years without dry docking. Normal maintenance, The third contract comprises the shore inspections and repair are carried out on-site. To refl ect this, the new standards approach for an oil pipeline from the Sa- do not require port down time for repairs as is the case for trading tankers. faniyah offshore fi eld to the mainland of Saudi Arabia. Boskalis will dredge a 7km Much heavier and larger topside production facilities are also being developed trench and backfi ll the trench with sand for FPSOs, and the new requirements outline a topside and hull interaction after completing a pipe-pull. The project analysis procedure requiring fi nite element analysis. “The weight of the topside structure and its interaction with the hull is an important consideration,” said Wang. “Close review of the loads is needed as well as calculations of the Saipem interaction forces and their effects on the hull’s strength and fatigue life.” Acergy has sold the semi-submersible pipelay barge Acergy Piper to Saipem for $78 million. This was the company’s sole operating unit in the non-core trunkline The Fairplayer, which will work on the Cascade/Chinook market. The vessel will be renamed Cascade and Chinook fi elds. Castoro 7. Technip has awarded Jumbo Offshore a combined transporta- tion and installation contract for Technip work on the Cascade and Chinook Technip has been awarded a fi elds in the Gulf of Mexico. The €140 million installation contract by contract scope of work consists Aker Installation Floating Production, of collecting and transporting fi ve for phase 2 of the development of the buoyancy cans from Technip’s yard Reliance Industries’ MA D6 oil fi eld in Pori, Finland to the Cascade and located off the eastern coast of India in Chinook fi eld in the Gulf of Mexico KG D6 Block in 1200m–1400m waters. located 160 miles South of the Louisiana Coast. The contract includes engineering and project management; transportation and Jumbo’s heavy lift vessel installation of 18km of fl exible export Fairplayer will also assist Technip’s risers and fl owlines; transportation deepwater pipelay construction and installation of fi ve umbilicals and vessel Deep Blue with the installa- a gas export manifold supplied by the tion of fi ve buoyancy cans and free client, and construction, transport and standing hybrid risers (FSHRs). installation of a 24in rigid spool.

UT2 MARCH 2009 35 SSUBSEAU B S E A PProjectsrojects Ruby BP and RWE Dea have drilled the Ruby-3 exploration well within

Offshore Projects the offshore West Mediterranean deepwater concession. This was drilled in 920m (3018ft) waters and reached a total depth of 1957m (6421ft). Gas bearing sandstones were penetrated in the Pliocene section. This well was the last of six drilled the West Nile Delta (WND). Maari OMV has achieved fi rst oil from its Maari fi eld off Taranaki’s south coast, New Zealand. Over its 10–15 year life, Maari is expected to produce 50MMbbl of oil. A peak production level is expected at ap- proximately 30 000 b/d in 2010.

A production testing phase will be carried out to ensure that the FPSO Raroa is ready to process the fi eld’s output. The vessel is All Electric on Roncador anchored 1.5 km (0.9 mi) from the wellhead platform, Tirotiro Moana. FMC Technologies has won a contract to Elsewhere, FMC received orders from engineer and manufacture four subsea BP for the manufacture and supply Buckskin manifolds and controls for Petrobras’ of additional subsea systems for its Roncador Module III project. This project projects in the Gulf of Mexico. The Chevron has made an oil dis- will see the use of FMC’s all-electric awards, valued at approximately $82 covery on its Buckskin prospect technology in Brazilian waters. The million in revenue, are call-offs from a in the Keathley Canyon, Gulf of contract is valued at approximately $75 frame agreement that was signed in Mexico, 71km (44miles) west of million in revenue for FMC. November 2006. the company’s Jack discovery. Drilled in 2109 m (6920 ft) of FMC’s scope of supply consists of two, Under these call-offs, FMC’s scope of water to 8962m ( 29 404 ft) deep, six-slot subsea manifolds to distribute gas supply will consist of nine subsea trees encountered more than 91m (300 lift injection to 12 wells. These manifolds including controls, an installation and ft) of net pay. will also contain 12 subsea control workover control system and other modules that will provide electro-hydraulic related equipment. All equipment will Hobby functions to operate the manifolds and be designed and manufactured at subsea trees. FMC’s Houston facility. Deliveries will Nexen has made a discovery with commence in mid-2009 and will continue the Hobby well on block 20/1N in The company will also supply two through 2011. the North Sea, approximately 1.5 additional manifolds for water injection km (0.9 miles) west of the Golden that will use FMC’s proprietary all-electric BP also awarded FMC an $80 million Eagle discovery. The company actuators for the operation of the chokes. contract for the manufacture and supply plans to continue construction of The equipment will be engineered and of subsea equipment for ongoing the fourth Buzzard platform con- manufactured at FMC Technologies’ deepwater projects offshore Angola. The taining production sweetening fa- facility in Rio de Janeiro with deliveries contract is valued at approximately in cilities designed to handle higher expected to commence in 2010. revenue for FMC. levels of hydrogen sulphide. . “We have manufactured systems for FMC’s scope of supply includes Nexen is expecting fi rst oil from Petrobras’ Roncador fi eld since 1999, and six subsea trees, control systems, its Ettrick fi eld shortly, adding is to date, have supplied all three existing wellheads, tubing hangers, well jumpers expected to add approximately 10 subsea manifolds as well as related and fl ow bases. The equipment will 000b/d oil equivalent. Nexen also controls and equipment.” said John be manufactured at FMC’s Kongsberg, plans to drill an appraisal well on Gremp, Executive Vice President of FMC Norway and Dunfermline facilities and the Blackbird prospect. Technologies. will be delivered in 2009.

36 UT2 MARCH 2009 ..... Girassol Tower Monitoring

Total has equipped its Girassol equipped with a special 30deg an- FPSO in Block 17, Angola with a gled fl ange to provide full tracking riser tower monitoring system to from surface to 120deg down. provide real time positions of the towers. These can activate an alarm This monitoring acoustic solution in case of unusual movement. was mobilised and installed by Fu- gro Survey, which also designed The three 1300m-high riser towers, a dedicated application based on located 200m away from the barge, Fugro Starfi x (SEIS module) to are mounted with MPT319/DT recover positioning data and to transponders at the top, 50m below compute, log and display it for long the surface. term analysis.

The aim of such a system is to An initial situation based on the provide real time positions of the fi rst months of logging will be ana- towers and activate an alarm in case lysed and the average positions of unusual movement. and standard deviations will be defi ned as the nominal 3D-posi- The Kongsberg HiPAP 350P acous- tions in order to highlight exces- tic system was chosen to provide the sive movements that should set off top of the risers’ positions relative to the alarms. Petrobras’ Roncador fi eld the FPSO. The transceiver deployed on a pole alongside the hull is inter- The system is also designed to faced to the APOS computer through take into consideration the FPSO a subsea junction box and a fi bre capacity using three states – full, Gudrun optic topside converter. half empty and empty – that have a direct effect on the relative riser The custom-built junction box is used tower elevation. to convert the fi bre optic signals from surface to the HiPAP 350P transceiv- Any deviation out of the nominal er and to convert the surface 220V values will indicate damage or AC power to 48V DC. malfunction on the buoyancy tanks and thus provide further controls Also, due to the limited depth of that may not be noticed during the the top of the risers, this pole is regular inspection surveys.

The Gudrun platform StatoilHydro has chosen a platform-based concept for its Gudrun fi eld development in the North Sea. The oil and gas fi eld is located 55km north of Sleipner in 110m waters. It was proven in 1974 and StatoilHydro became operator in 1997.

Gudrun will use a fi xed processing platform with seven production wells and will be tied back to existing facilities in the Sleipner area. Plans also call for connecting a subsea system on the Sigrun fi eld to the future platform on the Gudrun fi eld.

The reservoir is complex, with high pressure and high temperatures recorded. Estimated recoverable reserves have been put at 150 million barrels of oil equivalent. An acoustic link provides real time positions of the Girassol towers

The Acergy Polaris UT2 MARCH 2009 37 SUBSEA Projects Machar Subsea 7 has successfully launched Left: The Machar tow Subsea Projects and installed its sixtieth pipeline bun- head dle. This has allowed an undeveloped area on the east side of BP’s Machar Right: An artist’s im- fi eld to be exploited. pression of the Machar East subsea develop- Machar is part of the Eastern Trough ment Area Project (ETAPS) system which is based on nine different reservoirs. Six of the fi elds are operated by BP and a further three by Shell. The whole ETAP area is approximately 35km wide at its maximum diameter. First production from ETAP was in ties (QU) platform over Marnock and dry-insulated 8in lined production July 1998. a normally unmanned installation on pipeline, 6in plastic lined water Mungo. injection fl owline, 3in gas lift line, The development of the fi elds is electrical power and signal cables based on a central processing facility Subsea 7 was awarded the $22 and hydraulic and chemical controls (CPF) consisting of a processing, million fast-track contract earlier this tubing. drilling and riser (PDR) platform year. The pipeline bundle incorporates bridge-linked to a quarters and utili- a 12in sleeve system containing a The bundle was launched from Wick in the North of Scotland.

Tahiti Chevron has awarded Cameron a producing into a fl oating production US$83 million order for the supply of facility supported by a truss spar.It has Angola LNG subsea production systems for the capacity to produce 125 000 b/d oil Acergy has been awarded a $250 phase II of its Tahiti subsea develop- and 70MM ft3/d gas and treat 120 000 million contract from Angola LNG for ment in Green Canyon Blocks 596 and b/d of produced water. The fi rst phase the development of the pipeline network 640 in the Gulf of Mexico. This lies of development began in August 2005 required for the transportation of gas from 190 miles southwest of New Orleans at a cost of more than $1.8 billion. De- Blocks 0, 14, 15, 17 and 18 to Angola in 1200m (4000ft) of water. Tahiti is liveries are scheduled to begin in late LNG’s plant in Soyo, Angola. Angola LNG estimated to hold 400-500 MMbbl at 2009 and to continue into 2012. Limited’s shareholders are affi liates of more than 6096m (20 000ft) below the Chevron, Sonangol, BP, Total and ENI. seabed. Cameron has also been awarded a $100 million contract by BP for the Acergy’s workscope The project includes eight 15 000psi supply of subsea production systems includes the engineering, subsea trees, production control sys- subsea tieback projects in the Gulf of procurement, fabrication tems, connection systems, engineering Mexico. The current scope includes and project management services, and four subsea trees, production control related equipment. systems, a manifold, fl owline connec- tion systems, engineering and project The Tahiti fi eld is being developed management services, and related from two subsea drill centres equipment.

Engineering work and procurement of materials be- gan in mid-2008, and deliveries are scheduled and installation of 50km of of to begin late this pipeline. It also includes the shore approach year and con- and above water tie-ins for these pipelines, tinue throughout together with the offshore crossing and 2010. hydrotesting. Engineering will commence A tree on the with immediate effect with offshore Tahiti fi eld installation scheduled to commence in

38 UT2 MARCH 2009 the fourth quarter of 2009, using Acergy Hawk, Acergy Legend and Acergy Polaris.

The Acergy Polaris has recently begun sea trials following a major upgrade in Cape Town, This included renewal of a module, upgrading the dynamic positioning system and reinforcement of the J-lay tower.

The Acergy Polaris

UT2 MARCH 2009 39 The use of arc welding is UNDERWATER ubiquitous in the subsea industry, accounting for virtually all the underwater welding being carried out. There is, however, considerable scope for alternative technologies that The Lost boast a number of competitive specifi ed by modern technical The machine is hydraulically advantages. designers. The process is also self- powered and computer controlled. cleaning, with no requirement for On-screen displays show the weld One niche welding technique is surface preparation. parameters in real time. An in- friction stud welding. This is a solid process proof tensile test can be phase process where the stud is Typical applications include welding carried out on each weld providing rotated at high speed and forced to live gas and oil lines for CP full QA/QC traceability. against the parent material under (cathodic protection) attachments. controlled conditions. The frictional This would give lower electrical One deepwater temperatures remain well below the resistance than a clamp in long- application that melting point of the metal, but are term service. It can also be used in Proserv carried out enough to plasticise in the region damage control, salvage, hot-tapping was mounting a large of contact. The stud rotation is then and constructional applications unit on the front of stopped and downward force is where weld integrity is of paramount an ROV. A maintained to consolidate the joint importance. It can be carried out in series of and produce a forged weld. explosive environments or zoned welds were areas where normal electric arc carried out Friction stud welding is usually welding is not permitted. to attach carried out in normal ambient anode conditions, but works equally well in Importantly for subsea applications, continuity hazardous environments and under the system does not have depth tails to water. limitations, which means that it is 36in subsea potentially useful for deepwater work. riser base Until 25 years ago, the process piles west of normally involved large machinery The compressive forces exerted Shetland. and was confi ned to a workshop. during the welding process, and the It was not until a portable system fact that it is a solid phase system The welds was developed and tested in Loch with no liquid phase at any time, were Linnhe in Scotland that friction means that grain growth is avoided. performed at stud welding started to become a The grain structure is refi ned, often a depth of 395m. These useful tool for subsea purposes. resulting in better weld properties consisted of welding a Since then, the system has been than the parent material. Hardness tapered stud through progressively refi ned. levels can be controlled within limits, by adjusting the welding parameters. The technique has a number of inherent advantages. The weld time Another advantage is that it is a Friction Stitch Welding is very short, typically around 4 low-skill operation that a diver can be Friction stitch welding was developed to seconds for a 10mm-diameter trained to use in a few hours onsite. It repair cracks. Like friction stud, it is solid stud. The weld quality is also can be also used from ROVs. phase process. consistently high. When tested to destruction, The Welding Quench hardening can be a potential A tapered or straight hole is drilled into Institute (TWI) says that failure problem underwater. This is solved by the centre of the crack. A plug is then invariably occurs in the stud a foam shroud being placed around friction welded into the hole. Excess material and well away from the the weld area. The shroud prevents metal is removed and another hole is weld. the weld being cooled too rapidly by drilled. the surrounding water. Another advantage is that This is on the crack line, but overlaps dissimilar metal combinations A leading practitioner of friction stud with the fi rst weld. This hole is then can be joined. This means that welding is Proserv Offshore, which friction welded as before. This process it is possible to weld exotic has developed systems capable of continues until the crack is repaired. materials such as inconel, welding studs from as small as 3mm titanium, duplex and diameter, up to 60mm-diameter tube. This is a cost-effective way of repairing super-duplex stainless The largest machine in the range is expensive subsea components in-situ. steels that are often rated for a water depth of 1000m and Stitch welding can be used for fi lling can be operated from a distance of up A stud welded onto a holes that were drilled in the wrong place to 4km. metal plate or have become redundant.

40 UT2 MARCH 2009 WELDING Cold Tee When discovering a new fi eld, it is often conditions for extended periods, for more cost effective to tie it into existing SGGT only qualifi ed mechanical infrastructure rather than lay its own construction divers without any welding bespoke pipeline. This would involve skills are required. retrofi tting a tee piece. “The subsea grouted tee offers One way to do this is to stop many advantages over the welded production, cut into the line, counterparts, not only in safety, but Arc also in cost, instances of application insert and connect the tee piece and resume the fl ow. and duration of installation,” said Dan Another layer of diffi culty Vu, grouted tee creator and once JIP Left: The would be to install the tee manager, now working for Subsea 7. friction stud while the line is fl owing welding – the so-called hot tap Not requiring a subsea welding habitat machine method. means total offshore deployment time is placing studs reduced, which subsequently reduces on a pipeline Both methods involve diving support vessel costs. Right: The subsea hyperbaric subsea tee welding, which are The conversion from the land-based both time consuming and grouted tee to SSGT was performed expensive. on a 24in stopple branch off a 24in pipeline with ANSI Class 900 fl ange When tees are retrofi tted to connection for diver depth operations pipelines on land, one common (200m maximum). method is the grouted hot tap system. This consists of a bolted It was designed with a split lower half shell containing the tee piece, which is shell. The door arrangement permits a tapered hole in the anode lowered onto the pipeline. it to be deployed to the seabed continuity connector and onto symmetrically using a soft landing the pile, all in one action. The outer surface of the main carrier support frame. pipe and the inner surface of the shells In another application in the are grit blasted, and an epoxy grout is The hydraulic piston-operated split Gulf of Mexico, it was used then injected to fi ll the void between doors close the shell, wrapping it to attach 119 stainless steel the tee and the pipeline underneath. around the main pipeline. High tensile studs to a 24in pipeline for the The grout has extremely low shrinkage strength bolts on horizontal fl anges attachment of anode continuity properties so the load is transferred compress the main primary saddle seal tails. from the main to outer shell. onto the main pipeline.

This resulted in a joint industry Built-in sealing strips on the horizontal research project carried out by fl anges of the doors have O-rings that Advantica and Subsea 7 on behalf provide a gas-tight environment in the of JIP sponsors (BP, Total and annulus, enabling water to be fl ushed ConocoPhillips) to develop the sub out by fl owing nitrogen when the end seagrouted tee (SSGT). seals are activated.

This technique has signifi cant potential Spreader plates provide compression for use in both shallow, and deepwater on the primary seal and saddle seal. Another use for the technique is for diverless projects. Instead of highly The material of the primary saddle seal joining components. The two pieces to skilled divers specialised in welding can be selected to suit compatibility of be joined are held together, then holes works under hazardous subsea the internal hydrocarbon products. can be drilled and friction welded along their joint line. The SSGT in a test tank Stitch welding: A hole is drilled into the fracture (2) and then friction welded (3); another hole is then drilled in the crack, overlapping the weld (4) and the friction weld is repeated (5)

1 2 3 4 5

UT2 MARCH 2009 41 ext year, StatoilHydro will systems in the habitat can be used for SUBSEA commence wet trials of its fi ne-tuning to ensure concentricity. Nrevolutionary automated hyperbaric welding system that could Larger Diameter, Deeper Water signifi cantly extend the depths at which some pipeline repairs can be The PRS uses an orbital tungsten carried out. inert gas (TIG) or gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process. The welding The type of pipeline repair is governed process itself is fully controlled from the DDeepereeper Welding by a number of factors, including the surface. A typical automated weld water depth and the diameter. At can take hours to perform, but is of present, large diameters pipeline exceptionally high quality. repairs in up to 180m water depth are carried out using diver-assisted Recognising the general push welding and the already developed to explore in more inhospitable pipeline repair system (PRS). environments, StatoilHydro took the decision to expand its pipeline repair All repairs beyond the 180m water capability into deeper waters. This depth limit have to be carried out effectively meant a total redesign remotely. Repairs may be performed and the development of the emote using a specially designed Morgrip PRS (RPRS). “The engineers at mechanical connector clamp with StatoilHydro were faced with a tensioners and graphite seals. These number of new challenges,” said Neil are cost effective for up to 28in- Woodward of Isotek Electronics. diameter pipelines, however larger diameter connectors require higher Isotek was instrumental in developing gripping capacities. This solution can the original weld control system for become prohibitively expensive. For PRS and is responsible for many of diameters greater than around 28in the control systems in the new design. dry hyperbaric welding becomes Neil Woodward is currently based at competitive. Cranfi eld University, developing weld procedures using the world’s deepest The PRS was originally developed by hyperbaric test chamber. Statoil and Norsk Hydro for pipeline repair with the aid of divers. First used “The new system will be operated in 1988, it is currently operated by beyond diver depths. The process Technip. therefore, has to be totally automated. StatoilHydro have gained a lot of The PRS system consists of a pair of experience in subsea orbital V-Butt TIG H-frames to align the pipe and a welding over many years. habitat incorporating fi ne alignment clamps, machining, pre-heat, de- “About ten years ago, researchers magnetisation, welding and non- at Cranfi eld demonstrated that MIG destructive testing (NDT) equipment. welding could be used even at The habitat lowered over the pipe uses depths of 2500m,” said Woodward. an oxygen/helium mix to displace the StatoilHydro looked upon this process water. The divers are lowered in a bell as a suitable replacement for deep- and enter the habitat to carry out all water weld repair. necessary operational work. One of the most diffi cult aspects of from the equation was deemed to be too The system also incorporates a subsea V-Butt repair welding is to technically diffi cult,” said Neil Woodward. concrete removal machine and a physically bring the pipes together and It was this that made the StatoilHydro device for machining the pipe, ensuring ensure ovality and concentricity for engineers look at alternative solutions. the pipe ends are clean to form a necessary for V-Butt welding. The one they selected was a sleeve. V-butt joint. Inside the habitat, the pipe ends are brought “This is achievable with the aid “This has the fundamental advantage of together. Pipe alignment of divers. Removing divers being much more forgiving if the pipes ends are slightly out of alignment. The sleeve can allow for that.”

A sleeve jacking unit is used to slide the sleeve into its correct place where it is secured by a fi llet weld at each end of the sleeve.

“MIG welding is ideally suited for the sleeve on pipe fi llet welding repair application since it is capable of Left; the pipeline repair system (PRS)

42 UT2 MARCH 2009 PIPELINES In the future? The Remote PRS was originally qualifi ed for work between 180m and 370m to bridge the gap between the diving limit and the deepest Deeper WeldingWelding pipes eligible for contingency repair in the North Sea. Diverless hot T tap tee Welding qualifi cation work has also been carried out for StatoilHydro has designed deeper water pipelines, such a system using technology as the Ormen Lange gas and procedures developed pipeline, at up to 1000m. from the RPRS project, that can accomplish this. Once the technology and procedures are proven, however, it is a relatively short step to use them for other subsea applications.

One such application is the remote hot tap. In some new fi eld developments, it is more cost effective to tee into existing lines rather than lay a dedicated export line. Large diameter, diverless hot tap tool The chamber of secrets Cranfi eld University has the that MIG welding could be world’s highest pressure carried out at such depths. hyperbaric welding test Work is presently underway chamber. The 18t vessel is to qualify the weld rocedures Above: The remote pipeline repair system being tested in able to simulate pressures and metallurgical properties Stavanger. Above inset: The sleeve over the pipe connection equivalent to 2500m subsea. necessary for working under Left: The remotely operated welding tool (ROWT) weld head which It was with this 250bar vessel these extreme hyperbaric uses MIG welding that it was fi rst proved conditions. All fi gures are reproduced with kind permission of StatoilHydro. 250bar hyperbaric chamber at Cranfi eld deepwater operation with a comparatively high deposition rate.

“Once the TIG welding process reaches 700m water depth, the welding arc becomes quite unusable as it loses directional stability” concluded Woodward.

Left:The remote operated welding tool on a 42in pipe

UT2 MARCH 2009 43 SUBSEA TI

Flow assurance is a particularly retaining the existing heat. In some important issue when considering long applications, however, this simple heat distance subsea tie-backs. The cold retention is not enough so another seawater temperatures can cool the solution must be sought. It is not only wellstream fl owing in the pipie and necessary that the fl owline temperature increase the risk of waxes or hydrates to be maintained above critical levels, coming out of solution, causing a but should the fl ow stop and a blockage blockage. The longer the distance of occur, it might also be necessary to the tie-back, the longer period of time have to warm up the wellstream to get the cold water has to bring down the it fl owing again. internal temperature. EH A common alternative, therefore, is A common solution adopted by the active heating, where thermal energy is “While technically challenging, it is an industry to minimise heat losses to applied to pipeline. While some carrier adaptation of a well proven technology the environment is pipe-in-pipe. This pipes of pipeline bundles can contain with more than 20 reeled pipe-in-pipe is a double skin pipeline with the gap heated water, the most common applications currently in service,” said between the two fi lled with a high- system for long pipelines is electrical Brett Howard, Technip’s Offshore performance passive insulation such heating, where the power input is engineering division manager. “We as mineral wool, microporous silica dissipated by resistive heating. This is have worked the system up to a point or aerogel, in order to achieve a high now a mature technology, with systems where it is now fully qualifi ed and degree of thermal performance. having been successfully used in the available for tender.” Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea. Because many deepwater projects The technology is based on inserting enjoy the cost advantages of reelable With the push into deeper waters, trace heating cables between fl owline pipe, an extension of this technology where lack of infrastructure has led to and insulation. The design would also has been the emergence of reelable the possibility of longer tie-backs, one typically incorporate optical fi bres pipe-in-pipe. The two pipes are technology that has been receiving to allow fl owline temperature profi le separated by polymeric centralisers a considerable amount of attention monitoring. These extra components every 2m in order to protect the recently has been combining the two are fully compatible with the reeling lightweight insulation materials from with electrically-heated pipe-in-pipe method. crushing during reel installation. (EHPIP). Technip has developed and qualifi ed a reelable system combining “EHPIP can be used to complement Insulation systems such as pipe-in- the best passive insulation technology passive insulation systems during pipe are generally known as passive with safe and reliable electrical trace steady-state operation while acting systems because they work by heating for optimum performance. as an alternative to a pigging loop for wax or hydrate mitigation,” said said Howard. “When used on a steel catenary riser, it can counter the temperature drop caused by adiabatic cooling.

“The system is fully compatible with Insulation Technip’s integrated production bundle (IPB), a heated fl exible riser system qualifi ed and fi rst used on the Dalia Carrier Pipe project in West Africa. The EHPIP can also be used as a steel catenary riser Heating Cables (SCR),” he said. Centraliser It may not be necessary to heat the entire pipeline. The system is adaptable enough to heat only short Flowline critical sections, allowing fl exibility of fi eld operations. Passive Insulation It can also be used in conjunction with a downhole electrical submersible pump (ESP), using the an electrical subsea switch module (ESSM) to divert Optical Fibre Carrier Pipe the pump’s power supply to pipeline heating during shut-in. For very long tie-backs, electrical power can be supplied at intermediate Centraliser points from a dedicated power umbilical. Flowline Left above: Reelable pipe-in-pipe Left below: Electrically heated pipe-in-pipe

44 UT2 MARCH 2009 EBACKS

PIP Qualifying EHIPIP A typical EHPIP system can be divided three-phase circuits can typically range grating (FBG) looks at a limited number in three main sections: between two and four, with one spare of specifi c locations, by analysing light circuit if required. refl ected from etchings made in the The power is supplied by means fi bre during manufacture. of a dedicated power control unit on Temperature profi le monitoring would a topside facility. This incorporates be carried out by a fi bre-optic system. “There are a number of interlinked a range of electrical fault detection These optical fi bres are normally pre- parameters that have to be taken features. applied on the pipe between insulation into account when determining the and fl owline with the heating cables, specifi cation of an EHPIP system,” A power umbilical is used to however, it is also possible to attach a said Howard. “Before considering connect the topsides supply to a fi bre into a pre-installed conduit. This any layout, however, it is necessary subsea umbilical termination assembly allows them to be replaced at a later to know the target temperature for (SUTA) on the seabed using standard date if necessary. safe operation and the environmental wet-mateable power connectors and temperature, the overall heat transfer fl ying leads. There two main systems available. coeffi cient (OHTC) of the pipe-in-pipe, The distributed temperature sensing the fl owline size and fl uid content, In some fi eld designs, the riser is also (DTS) method collects temperature which all affect thermal inertia of the heated riser. In this case, the electrical data at intervals along the whole fi bre pipe-in-pipe.” circuits running through the riser can be by looking at the backscatter from a continued through the static EHPIP. laser source. Alternatively, fi bre Bragg Taking the pipeline length into consideration, the designer would have to determine available topside The EHPIP itself. The trace heating electrical power as well as voltage and system consists of a number of low current limitation of electrical circuit electrical resistance copper core components when determining the cables, grouped by three, to form three- number of circuits. phase star connection circuits. Table 1 provides the details of the At one end, each of the three electrical pipe-in-pipe dimensions considered, cables is fed with one phase of and their typical thermal capabilities alternating current. At the other end, for a range of insulation materials at a the three cables are connected to each fl owline temperature of 50oC. other to form a star connection. The cool-down times of the EHPIP with Where these cables meet, the sum non operating cables in column 4 are of the three current phases is zero from 50oC down to 25oC and assume and a return cable is unnecessary. Small-scale reeling simulation an air-fi lled fl owline. Considering Depending on the heating requirements the contents, air is conservative as of the system, the number of sets of production fl uids will be denser, giving greater thermal inertia, and thus slow cooling. If fl owline contents are instead Table 1 Thermal Characteristics a representative crude oil or pure pressurised gas, the power required to EHPIP Insulation OHTC Cool Down Linear Power (W/m) meet the stated warm-up requirements Size (W/m2.K) Time (hours) to Maintain 25°C is reduced: by 30%–40% for oil, and in

excess of 50% for gas. 6” in 10” Mineral Wool 1.52 5 23.6 Microporous Silica 1.09 8 17.1 Finally, the linear heating power Aerogel 0.89 9 13.8 required to maintain the temperature of 8” in 12” Mineral Wool 1.55 7 31.3 these lines at 25oC is also presented. Microporous Silica 1.14 9 23.4 Aerogel 0.95 11 19.1 A typical EHPIP system comprises 10” in 16” Mineral Wool 1.08 11 26.6 12x16mm2 copper core sectional area Microporous Silica 0.75 16 18.8 electrical cables (which includes three Aerogel 0.60 20 14.9 spares) and mineral wool between the

UT2 MARCH 2009 45 cables. A second layer of insulation is then wrapped around mineral wool and cables. The results in Table 1 show that the different insulation for a material available allows wide range of insulation levels (OHTC) to be achieved.

The power input required for this mode of operation is relatively small, typically in the range of 15–30W/m. The cool-down time of a PIP depends on the OHTC, which dictates the heat loss rate and the size of the fl owline, which in turn governs the thermal inertia of the system.

For the analytical cool-down calculations performed, only the thermal inertia of the fl owline and content is taken into account, since the carrier pipe is close to the ambient temperature and the insulation material possesses little thermal inertia. The introduction of only a small amount of heating power would The Apache, which will be able to lay EHPIP extend the quoted passive cool down times signifi cantly.

“There is a strong relationship several tens of kilometres may be manufacture and connection of the between the thermal inertia of the achieved from a single power source. components. With this in mind, the EHPIP and the warm-up power following design and qualifi cation requirements – illustrated by the It is possible to consider several power activities were undertaken: increase in power requirement feeding points along the line, i.e. with pipe size. The OHTC has an power umbilical conveying electricity to Review of the full electrical infl uence, but of a much smaller further located power feeding points. design, including assessment magnitude. The target warm up time With this confi guration, the achievable of the electrical integrity of the also has a signifi cant impact on the heated lengths can be multiplied. The system, including consideration power requirements,” said Howard. power umbilical conducting electricity of induction effect to remote locations will operate under Defi nition of topsides power, “The linear heat input is typically a high voltage/low current combination control and monitoring systems reduced by 40–45% by increasing the to mitigate longitudinal heat losses. and philosophy warm up time from 12h to 24h. Power Dedicated transformers will then Development and testing of requirements for a 48h warm up time be required to achieve the required cable lay up arrangement are relatively small. These savings combination of voltage and current for compatible with the reeling must, however, be balanced against the trace heating circuit. process the potential lost production.” Development and trial of EHPIP In a typical example, an 8in in 12in assembly procedures Having established typical linear PIP insulated with aerogel has a Specifi cation of integrity testing power input requirements for different linear power requirement of 19.1W/m requirements during assembly EHPIP sizes and applications, it is in order to maintain its temperature and installation possible to establish a cable design at 25oC. A linear power requirement Development and qualifi cation of and associated electrical parameters of 40.5W/m is necessary to achieve a waterstop design compatible (voltage and current) to achieve such a worst conditions warm up in 36 with trace heating and optical performance for a particular length of hours, such linear powers will be fi bre monitoring pipeline. achievable with nine operating cables. With copper core cross sectional Finally, a full scale 8in in 14in EHPIP For a given number of cables with area of 16mm2 over 20km for a phase joint, including all components of the a given copper core cross-sectional voltage of 1500V and 14km for 1000V, trace heating system, a T-piece and area, the power output depends on respectively. power connectors was fabricated. the level of current circulating. The maximum length of pipe that can be Technip has carried out a number of The thermal performance, pre- and heated from one power source is exercises as part of a full engineering post-reeling, was established to governed by the voltage required to qualifi cation programme, underpinned confi rm that the design calculations achieve the current levels, however, by a formal Failure Modes Engineering developed were accurate. For this the distance achievable can generally Assessment (FMEA), to ensure that test, the test piece was submerged exceed 10km for most heat input all design aspects were addressed. in a water tank at a regulated requirements. For linear power It highlighted the importance of the temperature of 4oC, and a fl ow loop requirements, less than 50W/m procedure and quality control of the circulated oil through the test piece.

46 UT2 MARCH 2009 Births, Marriages and Separations FMC Take a Share of Schilling FMC Technologies has acquired a Schilling Robotics principal, Micro ROV manufacturer AC-CESS 45% interest in Schilling Robotics for Tyler Schilling, has voiced no plans has signed a deal with National Tool $116 million, with an option to buy the to leave the company, seeking Leasing to distribute the AC-ROV remainder over the two-year period instead to introduce innovative Underwater Inspection System in beginning in 2012. Schilling has said digital technologies in response to the US. that at present, it wanted to remain an the growing communications and independent entity, and thus was only control challenges. Schilling’s current RESON has appointed Sea and interested in a minority shareholder. mission is to dramatically expand its Land Technologies (SALT) as its market position in all aspects of deep exclusive representative for the FMC sees this as an opportunity ocean remote control by providing an Asean region, effective 1st January to expand its subsea business in Open Gateway to which all operators 2009. SALT will be responsible for a new direction. Its global subsea can connect. The agreement with sales, marketing, technical support franchise will assist Schilling in FMC will allow the company to do and repairs of SeaBat multibeam extending its reach worldwide, while this more effectively. sonar systems and NaviSound allowing the company to participate singlebeam echosounders. more fully in the increasing Menawhile, Schilling has further integration of remote activities expanded its Houston regional offi ce SMD has opened an Asia Pacifi c performed on the seabed, such as team, with David Marchetti as regional (APAC) offi ce in Singapore, headed subsea processing, well intervention operations manager, and Giovanni by John McCann, who is relocating and production optimisation. Escobar as regional sales manager. from the UK.

Sonardyne Asia Pte has opened a new premises in Singapore. At over Teledyne Acquires Odom 9000ft2, the new building in Loyang is Subsea 7, Technip more than three times the size of the Teledyne RD Instruments has Subsea 7 and Technip have agreed previous offi ce. acquired Odom Hydrographic to dissolve their joint venture, Technip Systems. Odom designs and Subsea 7 Asia Pacifi c (TS7), once LYYN has appointed Moscow based manufactures survey instrumentation all its existing projects and tendered AGT Systems and Athens (Glyfada) used in port survey, dredging, offshore work have been completed. In 2006, based ALS Marine to its dealer energy and other applications. TS7 was formed to provide subsea network. construction services in the region “Odom’s single- and multibeam echo (excluding India and the Middle East). The United Kingdom Hydrographic sounders complement the existing Offi ce (UKHO) has opened an offi ce instrumentation products within our TS7 has successfully executed a in Singapore based in the British Teledyne Marine group of companies,” number of major offshore develop- High Commission.The initiative is said Robert Mehrabian, chairman, ment projects in the Asia Pacifi c backed by the Maritime and Port president and chief executive offi cer region’ such as Stybarrow for BHP, Authority of Singapore. of Teledyne Technologies. “For Donghae for KNOC, Kikeh for Murphy example, through the combination of and Vincent for Woodside. Huawei Technologies has established Odom’s echosounders with Teledyne a new joint venture company with RDI’s Doppler velocity logs, Teledyne With the expected continued growth Global Marine. Called Huawei Benthos’ sidescan sonar systems of the deepwater subsea construction Marine, the new company will be and Teledyne TSS’ inertial sensing market in the region, the parties now headquartered in Tianjin with re- systems, Teledyne will provide an wish to pursue separate strategic de- search and manufacturing bases in extensive line of precision products for velopment opportunities, but this does Beijing, Shenzhen and the UK. marine navigation, detection, sonar not exclude working together on a imaging and bathymetric survey.” case-by-case basis on future projects. MacArtney in Denmark is now an authorised service centre. Service and repair of EdgeTech equipment can now be performed in continental Triton Expand Europe, making servicing, repair and spare parts delivery faster and more Triton Group has completed its ninth ing, gives it a critical mass in the rental cost effi cient. acquisition with the acquisition of of underwater technology products and Houston-based Equipment and strengthens their presence in the North Falck Nutec, provider of health, safety Technical Services (ETS). The com- American market. and rescue training services, has ex- pany works in the, sale and rental panded into Vietnam in cooperation market of equipment and software for Backed by Aberdeen- and Houston- with local partners Mermaid Maritime offshore survey and marine applica- based private equity company, SCF and Alternative Company. The com- tions. It gives Triton complementary Partners, Triton Group now comprises pany is opening a new training centre services, particularly dynamic position- eleven companies. in Vung Tau.

UT2 MARCH 2009 47 SUT News SUT

Annual General Meeting 11 December 2008 Left to right: (front row) Ian Gallett, Dr Martin Sayer, John Houlder, Peter Turner, (middle row) Sandra Forrest, Blair Anderson, (back row) LtCdr Roland Rogers, Prof David Lane and Dave Stables

The SUT held its AGM and annual companies, as well as rig operators. he was unable to attend the AGM, awards ceremony aboard HQS The work ranges from exploration of arrangements had been made for him to Wellington, moored at London’s deepwater ecosystems to increase receive the award via post. Embankment, on 11 December. knowledge of biodiversity, to assessing the impacts of drilling disturbance using Sandra Forrest of the University of The highlight of the evening was an molecular biology or ecological mapping Southampton was presented the informative and revealing presentation techniques. Platinum Award for outstanding entitled, ‘The SERPENT Project: using postgraduate student. industry remotely operated vehicles The presentation concluded with an (ROVs) to investigate the mysteries impressive array of images captured This year, SUT inaugurated a new of the deep’, given by Dr Andrew using the high quality cameras available award jointly sponsored by BP for the Gates of SERPENT Project, National on the ROVs. This topic sparked a lively best thesis in offshore and subsea Oceanography Centre, Southampton. debate among the SUT members, with engineering and technology. It is many expressing curiosity in fi nding out awarded for both the undergraduate The SERPENT (Scientifi c and more about SERPENT and its missions, and postgraduate categories and comes Environmental ROV Partnership using and discussions continued over wine with a cheque for £500. This year’s Existing iNdustrial Technology) Project, and cheese. undergraduate winner was which has been running since 2002, Blair Anderson of the Universities of is a collaborative research project Preceding this presentation was the Glasgow and Strathclyde for his project, between science and industry to make SUT awards ceremony, which featured ‘A Riser Concept: The Dynamic Buoyancy use of industrial deep-diving ROV various awards honouring those who Tank’. The postgraduate award will be technology. have made exceptional contributions to presented at the Subsea Engineering underwater technology. Dinner in Aberdeen in June 2009. Dr Gates gave an overview of SERPENT, describing the work that The Tom Patten Memorial Award for The Houlder Cup was awarded to its scientists do with the opportunities outstanding fi nal-year undergraduate Dr Martin Sayer for his contribution provided by its industrial and academic student was awarded to Jan Seiler of to underwater operations and his collaborators, including oil and ROV the University of Wales, Bangor. Since indefatigable, operational, underwater

48 UT2 MARCH 2009 SUT News Aberdeen SUT AGM 3 December 2008

The Aberdeen Branch of SUT held its MSc in Subsea Engineering by distance for an original piece of artwork. The Annual Dinner and AGM on the evening learning, as well as working full-time winner of the art competition receives of Wednesday, 3 December 2008, at at Marathon Oil as a subsea integrity a monetary award sponsored by the Marcliffe hotel. The best attendance technician and supporting her family. J P Kenny. This year the Award went to date of almost 260 people enjoyed to mature student Fiona Taylor for her a champagne reception sponsored by The form of the award is actually artwork titled “Love Bleeds”. Fiona DUCO, a four course meal with the derived from a separate competition is currently in her fi nal year of a BA wine sponsored by J P Kenny and a involving RGU’s Gray’s School of Art (Hons) Painting Degree at Gray’s. very entertaining after dinner speaker, Mr Graham Jolley, sponsored by Aker Solutions.

The Martin Richmond Award was pre- sented during the dinner. The award, in its third year, was set up between J P Kenny and SUT in memory of Martin who died from cancer in January 2006 at the age of 52. Martin was employed by JPK at the time of his death and was Chairman of the Aberdeen Branch of SUT.

The award is made to a mature post- graduate student that has performed most diligently throughout the course under extraneous and mitigating personal circumstances. This year the Linda Bremner, Fiona award went to Linda Bremner who is Taylor and Anne Richmond studying on the University of Aberdeen’s Award of Merit, Dr Patrick O’Brien

“The SUT Aberdeen Branch Award of The award is normally made at the Merit is given to individuals who have Aberdeen Branch annual Dinner held made an outstanding contribution to in December, however, Paddy was at Branch activities, underwater technol- the Deepwater Offshore Technology scientifi c pursuits in advancing ogy, the underwater industry and the Conference in Perth, Australia, during the standards of scientifi c diving aims and objectives of the Society. The that time so he was unable to attend. and its reputation. The David Award of Merit for 2008 was awarded Due to this, the award was given in Partridge Commemorative Award, to Dr Patrick O’Brien (better known as January 2009 by SUT Aberdeen jointly sponsored by the SUT Paddy to his friends and colleagues), Branch Chairman, Mr Jim Mann and and the former Offshore Energy group director, services and technology Vice-Chairman, Mr David Kaye at MCS’ Technology Panel, was made to for MCS. offi ces in Aberdeen. Peter Turner.

The President’s Award this year was presented to Ian Gallett in recognition of his long and distinguished career in underwater technology and his tremendous contribution to the success of the Society in recent years. Everyone was delighted that Ian could attend the AGM as a guest to receive his award.

SUT Fellowships were awarded to Prof David Lane, LtCdr Roland Rogers and Dave Stables. Others receiving Fellowship awards to be given locally are Graham Bonner and Geoff Hogg in Perth, Australasia, and Dr Hayden Marcollo in Melbourne, Australasia. Jim Mann, Patrick O’Brien and David Kaye

UT2 MARCH 2009 49 Carbon Capture SUT Young Professionals and Storage

Report on SUT Evening Seminar, London 20th November 2008 By Shyam Johny Menacherry and Majid Abbas Cranfi eld University Brian Jones of London Offshore Consultants, our chairman for the evening, welcomed the audience and introduced the fi rst speaker Peter Christie from the Department of Energy and Climate Change told us why carbon capture storage (CCS) is so important, covering the various The SUT Young Professionals Committee. Chris Dickerson, Dean Raaz, carbon reduction targets that have been Ryan Gaubert, Josh Ryan, Anne Prejean set, the present global power generation Katie Dupuis, Maria Anceril, Jodi Roberts, Eric Maier mix, the challenges of replacing fossil fuels and the need to retain coal as a fuel for the The Houston Branch of the Society for Underwater Technology was foreseeable future. established in 2000. It exists to provide a focal point for members of the SUT in the Houston area. SUT Houston organises lunch time Ongoing concerns about global warming technical meetings, networking meetings and recreational activities. and excessive carbon dioxide emission were reinforced by our next speaker, Mike The SUT Young Professionals’ Chapter began in June of 2007. Austell, manager, project development at There are several benefi ts in attending any young professional Progressive Energy limited. He gave a networking event. The advantage in networking with other young detailed report on COOTS, a joint venture professionals is to increase personal growth in an innovative between Centrica and Progressive Energy, industry, increase potential business connections, build relationships that is planned to be undertaken with and increase company recognition. The branch is looking for the cooperation of both the British and companies to sponsor Young Professionals networking events. European governments. Sponsorship Includes: This project is expected to contribute to the • A preferred destination (please bring any company information to reduction of carbon dioxide by at least 50% be displayed at event) by 2050 – exciting news for the audience. • An e-mail announcement sent out to the SUT 2500+ database. The project concerns the installation of a • Your company logo with a link to your company web-site on the 500km long pipeline to an isolated aquifer SUT “Sponsors” page to store some 15 million tonnes of carbon • An announcement under Latest News on the SUT Home page

dioxide annually. The captured CO2 will • First drink and fi nger foods ( food to be chosen by sponsor or SUT also be re-injected into oil fi elds in the North staff) Sea in order to enhance production in fi elds coming close to the ends of their life. In order to “hold” your space, we request a $250 non-refundable deposit that will be applied toward the event’s total cost. He also covered in detail the various technical aspects of this project including: Please note total cost may vary depending on how many attendees properties of carbon dioxide, pipeline requirements, pressure conditions, We can also cap the event at a specifi ed amount you choose to subsea equipment required, data sponsor. sourcing, fl ow assurance issues, materials selection, corrosion possibilities, manifold choices, control systems and installation Thank you for supporting the SUT! techniques. We all look forward to seeing you at your sponsored event! A number of questions were raised by the audience, including a very important one NAME:______about the economic viability of the project and competition they are expecting in the future. Mike welcomed the competition SIGNATURE:______as it was likely that it would drive the development of this technology forward at CC Type: a faster rate. CC #: Exp. Date: Fax to: (713) 995-5539 On this note, discussion continued in the foyer over cheese and wine. For further information Contact: Jodi Roberts – Marketing and Business Development 50 UT2 MARCH 2009